"Lucky Lindy" talks about flying Jennies and why he dislikes reunions, ceremonies and dinners. TLS: "Charles", 1p, 8½x11. Germany, 1963 March 19. To Joe. On blue light-weight stationery. In full: "This is an awfully late answer to your January letter. My mail is always hopelessly stacked up, literally, and I have taken taken (sic) some of it abroad with me in the hope of catching up a bit at least with the letters I want most to write. It is really good of you to invite me to the reunion of the 110th Observation Squadron, and I do have a very close feeling toward the Squadron -- I often think of the old days flying 'Jennies' at Lambert Field. But Joe, I think reunions are for those who like them (and may God bless them). To me, reunions are pretty awful; they always detract from qualities of memory which I prefer to leave to the past where I think they belong and have the greatest value. Also, I like to live quietly and to concentrate on my work and interests. I realized, many years ago, that this kind of life was simply not compatible with ceremonies and dinners, for one led to another and there seemed to be no end. With the exception of two in Washington, which came under the 'private' category, and which were more or less unavoidable, it is now close to a decade since I have attended a formal dinner.…"

Collection framed to an overall size of 42x28. Four of the astronauts signed envelopes postmarked the day they died Comprises: (1) DICK SCOBEE, JUDY RESNICK and RON McNAIR. Envelope signed: "Dick Scobee", "Judy Resnik" and "Ron McNair", 6¼x3½. 22¢ Abigail Adams stamp affixed. Postmarked Kennedy Space Center, FL, January 28, 1986 (the day of the Challenger tragedy). Typed at left margin: "Space Shuttle 51-L". The names of five members are typed below the heading. Scobee, Resnick and McNair have signed to the right of their names. Fine condition. (2) MICHAEL J. SMITH. Commemorative Envelope signed: "Michael J Smith", 6¼x3½. 15¢ stamp affixed, postmarked Pearlington, MS, May 20, 1980. Air Mail envelope with stamped cachet: "NSTL/Space Shuttle Columbia/FLT Eng 2007 Removed A2/2005 Installed". Lightly rippled. Fine condition. (3) ELLISON ONIZUKA. Commemorative Envelope signed: "Ellison Onizuka/5-15-81", 6¼x3½. 3¢ "To Cast a Ballot" and 15¢ flag stamp affixed, postmarked Kennedy Space Center, FL, April 12, 1981. Stamped Space/Shuttle cachet. Slightly rippled.

The man who pioneered the concept of the space shuttle writes about space travel. Autograph Manuscript signed: "By Dr. Wernher von Braun" in title, 1p, 8¼ x 10½ ruled sheet. Manuscript page, which is written in pencil, is part of a longer manuscript ("1" written by von Braun at upper margin). Headed: "Space Travel/by Dr. Wernher von Braun/Chief, Guided Missile Development Division//Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala." In full: "There are few dreams of the future which have woven so fascinating a web around human fantasy as flight through space. Since the first, epoch-making experiments of the great American pioneer of rocketry, Robert H. Goddard; since the days when Hermann Oberth, the German, and the Russian Constantin E. Ziolkovsky published their startling writings on rocket propulsion, a veritable spate of literature has overwhelmed the public. This has covered the entire field ranging from serious, scientific dissertations to comic strips. Thus, the intelligent layman outsider who is at tempting to sift the actual promises of space flight from idle conjecture frequently finds himself more confused than before he began to [word crossed out] study space flight literature.…"

Billy Mitchell sends a rare important autograph letter accepting an engagement. Rare Important Autograph Letter Signed: "Wm. Mitchell", 4p, 7¼x10½, front and verso. Boxwood, 1926 November 6. On his Mitchell crested stationery to his lecture agent, James B. Pond. Receipt stamp: "Ansd Nov 23 1926" below Mitchell's date of letter. In full: "To begin with I shall fill the engagement at Erie for the twenty third. This is to help you out more than anything else, as it makes things pretty hurried for me, because I have to be back here on the twenty fourth. I imagine I can get a train out of Erie that night. As I had heard nothing from you, the first news of the Erie engagement came as a good deal of a surprise. I could have gone before but not at the date set. This is about the way things are with me: from now until the 1st of February I do not care to make any engagements unless they are quite close and for sufficient remuneration. Five hundred dollars, I imagine is a good fee but in some ways it hardly pays. In others as far as publicity is concerned and in the way you handle it, it certainly does.…"

All but Grissom have signed a group photo in space suits. The signature of the ill-fated Grissom is on a separate sheet Collection comprised of: (1) Photograph signed: "Alan/Shepard", "Gordon Cooper", "W M Schirra", "D K Slayton", "John/Glenn" and "Scott Carpenter". B/w, 4¾x4¾ overall, image 4½x3½ (one surface). Captioned at lower margin. Fine condition. (2) Signature: "Virgil I. Grissom", 3½x1¼. Fine condition. The seven space pioneers who signed this Project Mercury envelope were chosen by NASA in April 1959 as the first American astronauts. Project Mercury successfully attained its goal of launching a man into space and safely returning him to Earth. On May 5, 1961, ALAN SHEPARD (1923-1998) became the first American in space when Project Mercury launched its first manned capsule, the Mercury-Redstone 3 Freedom 7. Grounded due to an inner ear disorder, he later returned to space as Commander of Apollo 14 (January 31-February 9, 1971), during which mission he walked on the Moon. VIRGIL I.

Limited edition lithograph (35x23) by George Bishop signed in pencil by astronauts Stafford and Slayton and by cosmonauts Leonov and Kubasov, framed to an overall size of 43x41. Printed Art signed in Pencil: "Tom Stafford", "D.K. Slayton", "V. Kubasov" and "A. Leonov" beneath image. Color, 35x23. Numbered 245/1500. Lithograph by artist George Bishop, published by Pacific Coast Galaxy Inc., pictures the U.S. Apollo 18 and U.S.S.R. Soyuz 19 spacecrafts about to dock in space on July 17, 1975. Each nation's flag and flight emblem and words Apollo and Soyuz in English and Russian are part of the image. THOMAS P. STAFFORD (1930-2024) was the commander and DONALD SLAYTON (1924-1993) was the docking module pilot of Apollo 18. ALEXEI LEONOV (b.1934) was the commander and VALERI N. KUBASOV (1935-2014) was the flight engineer of Soyuz 19. Vance Brand, command module pilot of Apollo 18, did not sign. Fine condition. Framed to an overall size of 43x41¼.

Twenty weeks before her ill-fated challenger flight, the New Hampshire school teacher writes, "I'm excited about my upcoming shuttle flight." A rare and emotional piece of American space flight history. Typed Letter Signed "S. Christa McAuliffe," one page, 8.5 x 11, NASA letterhead, September 18, 1985. A response to a note from an admirer. In full: "Thank you for your note. I do not have my official photograph yet, but I have placed your name on a list and you should receive one this fall. I'm excited about my upcoming shuttle flight and appreciate your interest." Sharon Christa McAuliffe (1948-1986) taught junior high school in Maryland (1970-1978) and Concord, New Hampshire (1978-1979) and high school in Concord (1980-1985) before being selected as the primary candidate for the NASA Teacher in Space Project on July 19, 1985. She was a payload specialist on Challenger STS-51L which was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 11:38 AM on January 28, 1986. McAuliffe and her six colleagues were killed when Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch. Light toning in lower right corner. Otherwise, fine condition.

Wright signs a check for $72.20 to County Treasurer Chas. Anderton, Sr., who endorses it. Check filled out and signed "Wright Cycle Co/W.W.", 8x3. Dayton, Ohio, 1905 January 27. Drawn on the Winters National Bank, payable to Chas. Anderton, Sr., Treasurer. for $72.20. Endorsed by Anderton on verso. During 1904 and 1905, the Wrights built and tested new planes and engines. An improved Flyer II was flown near Dayton, Ohio in 1904. They began designing Flyer III. At Simms Station, Ohio, on October 5, 1905, Wilbur flew for 24 miles in 38 minutes, landing only when their new Flyer III gas tank ran dry. The Flyer III was powered by a 15 horse powered engine. This was the Wright brothers' first flight of more than a half hour and renewed their confidence in man's ability to sustain flight. They had invented the first fully practical airplane that could turn, bank, circle and fly figure eights. On May 30, 1912, Wilbur Wright died of typhoid fever at the age of 45. Charles Anderton, Sr. (1843-1910), a decorated Civil War veteran, was Sheriff, and later Treasurer of Montgomery County, Ohio. Numerous vertical tears at top blank margin. Circular cancellation hole has removed the "cle" in Cycle.

The female aviator and dozens of authors signed this sheet of paper that's framed! Signature: "Amelia M. Earhart", 8½x11 album leaf titled: "Autographs of Authors and Poets visiting The Halle Bros. Co. Book Fair, October 15 to 20, 1928". Complete List of Signers: "Marjorie Barkley McClure", "Edmund Vance Cooke", "Lou Untermeyer", "Edwin Meade Robinson", "Whiting Williams", "Buffalo Child Long Lance", "Robert J. Casey", "Clara E. Laughlin", "Elmer Davis", "Mc Cready Huston", "Meredith Nicholson", "W.B. Seabrook", "Padraic Colum", "Henry Turner Bailey", "Honore Willsie Morrow", "Delia J. Akeley", "Dorothy Aldis", "James Abbott", "Maud Lindsay", "James A. Braden", "Johnny Gruelle", "John Norton Johnson", "Amelia Earhart", "Ellery Walter", "G P Putnam", and four unidentified signatures.

13x16 color poster mount signed by 29 celebrities for the Hilton Head Island Celebrity Golf Tournament. Poster Mount signed: "Neil Armstrong", "Johnny Bench", "Gale Sayers", "Spanky McFarland", "Ed Marinaro", "Mary Ann Mobley", "Alex Trebek", "Dale Robertson", "Boom 'Boom' Geoffrion", "Vince Gill" and 19 others on the mount. Color, 9x11 matted by unknown individual to 13x16. Depicts the cover of the program for the "Hilton Head Island/Celebrity Golf/Tournament/September 4-6, 1987". Horizontal crease at right mount touches 1 signature. Worn at corners. Fine condition. Poster is slightly worn. Accompanied by the program for the event, unsigned, 64p, 8½x11. Covers lightly creased, ¾-inch separation at lower edge of mid-vertical fold. Overall, fine condition. Two items.

Orville Wright signed this document in 1945 to lease 135 acres of farm and pastureland that he owned in Indiana. This document was signed three years before Wright's death and offers a look into how he paid his bills late in life. Lease signed "Orville Wright" as Lessor. 2 pages, 8½x12¾, single-sided sheets, bound with two staples at top edge. Feb. 6, 1945. Wright signed this lease agreement to lease 135 acres of farm and pastureland in "Township 23 North", Indiana [possibly Fowlerton] to Clayton W. Dickerson of Jonesboro, Indiana. The lease's term was from March 1, 1945, to Feb. 28, 1946. Dickerson leased the farm - which included improvements like an orchard, garden lot and barn - for $6 per acre or a total of $810, paid in full to Wright on Sept. 1, 1945. This lease also laid out Dickerson's responsibilities. In short, he had to maintain the land and its buildings out of his own pocket and pay one-half the cost for seed and fertilizer and for threshing and hulling any crops, with Wright paying the other half. Wilbur (1867-1912, born near Millville, Indiana) and Orville (1871-1948, born in Dayton, Ohio) formed the Wright Cycle Company in 1892 and manufactured bicycles.

This extremely rare piece of space history is a Great Seal of the State of Florida presented to Gemini IV crewmember Edward H. White II, the first American to make a spacewalk. Accompanied by an printed copy of an Associated Press photo of crewmember James McDivitt holding a similar seal. This seal belonged to White and comes with a photocopy of the letter of provenance from his son Edward H. White III! Ephemera unsigned. 12-inch diameter metal seal mounted on a 15¼x17 wood plaque with beveled edges. Gold-colored Great Seal of the State of Florida. Metal plate at top edge of plaque reads: "Astronaut Edward H. White II". Metal plate at bottom edge reads: "A Token of Friendship From/The People of Florida/Haydon Burns/Governor". Lightly soiled, scratched and dented. Light chipping and dents along edges. Corners are lightly worn and rounded. Otherwise in fine condition. Accompanied by 2 items: 1) Printed, Unsigned photograph. B/w, 9¾x8 overall, 7¾x6¼ image, one surface. Associated Press wire photo, datelined Mayport, Florida, June 10. Caption at left edge in part: "SPACEMEN HONORED - Astronaut James McDivitt holds aloft a plaque of the great seal of the state of Florida which was presented to him by Florida Gov.…"