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1180Original Amelia Earhart flight goggles worn during her historic 1932 solo transatlantic flight

Currency:USD Category:Entertainment Memorabilia Start Price:100,000.00 USD Estimated At:100,000.00 - 150,000.00 USD
Original Amelia Earhart flight goggles worn during her historic 1932 solo transatlantic flight
Original Amelia Earhart flight goggles worn during her historic 1932 record-breaking solo transatlantic flight. These goggles were on loan to and exhibited in the Earhart case next to her Lockheed Vega at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum from 1993-98. The goggles feature aluminum frames with tinted glass lenses and fabric tape covering the upper and lower portions of the lenses (to reduce the tremendous glare from flying over the Atlantic).  The goggles have wool padding for comfort and leather straps with a metal hook to fasten over her flight helmet. Comes with a Typed Letter Signed by Earhart to aerial cinematographer, Ray Fernstrom, in which she discusses the goggles stating, “…That particular pair are rather historic. Also they have grown accustomed to me, and cling around my unconventional nose more effectively than new ones.” Also accompanied with an Autograph Letter Signed from Amy Earhart (Amelia’s mother) dated July 5, 1947 discussing the goggles, as well as letters of correspondence from The Smithsonian and Purdue University Archives, both enthusiastically suggesting them to be donated to their respective institution. An incredible artifact from Earhart’s milestone record-setting flight which she began five years, to the day, after Charles Lindbergh left on his historic solo transatlantic flight. Earhart became the second person to cross the Atlantic solo and the first woman, taking off from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland on May 20, 1932 in her red Lockheed Vega 5B and landing 15 hours later in Londonderry, Ireland. The flight set several aeronautic records: the first person to cross the Atlantic twice, first woman to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic, and the fastest transatlantic flight—beating Lindbergh by 18 hours. The flight cemented her celebrity status, leading to her 1934 transpacific flight and her doomed around-the-world attempt in 1937.