RR Auction: Space and Aviation

Comprehensive archive from the career of early American aviator George W. Ayers, whose flying career began in World War I and continued through World

Winters National Bank check, 8.25 x 2.75, filled out in another hand and signed by Orville Wright, “Wright Cycle Co., O. W.,” payable to C. E. Taylor

Flown fabric presentation created by the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum featuring an affixed beige 2 x 2 swatch of wing fabric

Flown fabric presentation created by the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum featuring an affixed dark brown 2 x 2 swatch of wing fa

Flown fabric presentation created by the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum featuring an affixed dark brown 1.5 x 2 swatch of wing

Flown fabric presentation created by the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum featuring an affixed dark brown 2 x 2 swatch of wing fa

ALS signed “Charles A. Lindbergh,” three pages, 8.5 x 11, May 22, 1963. Letter to noted early spaceflight advocate G. Edward Pendray. In part: “Of cou

TLS signed “Charles A. Lindbergh,” three pages, 8.5 x 11, July 22, 1963. Letter to G. Edward Pendray regarding the book The Guggenheim Medalists: Arch

Stupendous vintage matte-finish 7 x 9 photo of Earhart perched on the edge of her cockpit, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, “To Henry Pike with a

Flown fabric presentation created by the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum featuring an affixed bright red 2 x 2 swatch of wing fa

Two items: a first day air mail cover postmarked February 20, 1928, with a “Primer Viaje Aereo, Cuba. Haiti. Santo Domingo. Pto. Rico, Aeroplano ‘Sant

Extremely scarce circa 1936 matte-finish 19.25 x 15 photo of the infamous Hindenburg, signed in the lower border in fountain pen by thirty-seven membe

Important alundum cement rocket nozzle liner attributed to the world's first liquid-fueled rocket launched by Robert H. Goddard on March 16, 192...

Two-level metal rocket fuel tank baffle attributed to one of Robert H. Goddard’s early rockets, circa mid-to-late 1920s. The piece measures approximat

Fuel feed rate needle valve attributed to one of Robert H. Goddard’s early rockets, circa late 1920s/early 1930s. The piece measures approximately 7 x

Two chairs and a lamp from the home of rocket pioneer Robert H. Goddard, including: a wicker rocking chair, a ‘William and Mary’ style ladder back cha

Exceptional original painting by Robert H. Goddard showing the ‘Baldy’ peak of the Sierra Blanca mountain range, 23.25 x 16.5, signed in the lower rig

Robert H. Goddard’s personally-owned quilt stitched in a colorful circular pattern, measuring approximately 65 x 78. In very good to fine condition, w

Exceedingly rare book containing the first published photographs of the Earth taken from space: a report entitled “Photography from the V-2 Rocket at

German V2 rocket tank holder and injection valves: the tank holder measures approximately 6 x 7.25 and the five injection valves are each about .75? i

German V2 rocket combustion chamber relic, measuring approximately 8 x 7 x 3, with its many valves and threaded fittings still evident despite heavy d

Vintage matte-finish 11 x 14 photo of five rocketry pioneers posing with scale models of missiles created during the 1950s, affixed to its original 16

Vintage glossy 8 x 10 head-and-shoulders portrait of the pioneering rocket scientist, signed in the lower border in fountain pen, “H. Oberth.” In fine

Signed book: The Mars Project. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1953. Hardcover with dust jacket, 7.25 x 9.25, 91 pages. Signed and inscribed to

Signed book: The Exploration of Mars. First edition. NY: Viking Press, 1956. Hardcover with dust jacket, 8.5 x 11, 176 pages. Signed and inscribed to

TLS, one page, 8 x 10.5, US Government Office Memorandum letterhead, July 19, 1955. Memo to Mrs. Bonnie G. Holmes, in part: “I wish to take this oppor

TLS, two pages, 8 x 10.5, NASA letterhead, December 6, 1962. Letter to Leonard V. Fulton, in full: “I was touched by your letter of concern for the fu

Congratulatory Western Union telegram, one page, 8 x 6.25, stamp-dated February 1, 1958. Telegram to “Dr and Mrs Wernher Von Braun” from President Dwi

Wernher von Braun’s name badge, 3.5 x 2.25, simply reading “Dr. Wernher von Braun,” affixed to a caption typed by von Braun’s longtime assistant Bonni

Typed report notes by Ernst Stuhlinger, one page, 8 x 10.5, circa early 1960s, annotated in pencil by Von Braun and initialed, “B.” The notes concern

Uncommon assemblage of nearly 50 items signed by various engineers and scientists from the Peenemunde Research Center or the Verein für Raumsch...

Two rare booklets related to the US Air Force Missile Test Project operated by RCA during the 1950s, including: an annual report for 1955, 10.75 x 8,

Pair of dark green B. F. Goodrich Mark IV pressure suit gloves as used by high-altitude pilots on the U2 and SR-71 spy planes. Tags affixed inside the

Uncommon glossy 7.75 x 10 photo of Miss Baker the squirrel monkey that, on May 28, 1959, along with rhesus monkey Miss Able, spent 16 minutes in space

Set of fourteen KNIGA covers with cachets commemorating Russian space achievements, each signed in ink by at least one cosmonaut, including: Yuri Gaga

Signed book in Cyrillic: Road to Space. 1961. Hardcover, 5.25 x 8, 173 pages. Signed on the first free end page in blue ballpoint by Gagarin and dated

Invitation to the 14th meeting of Komsomol in Moscow on April 16, 1962, 4.75 x 3.25, signed inside in blue ink by Yuri Gagarin and Gherman Titov. In f

Invitation to attend a Red Square parade in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution in 1967, 5.5 x 3.25, signed on the reverse i

Souvenir typescript, one page, 8.5 x 11, signed at the conclusion in blue felt tip by Leonov. Excerpt from An Artist in Space, in part: “We were orbit

Oversized color satin-finish 21.5 x 16 photo of Leonov in his space suit, signed in silver ink, adding “Voskod 2, Space walk!” Rolled and in fine cond

Satin-finish 8 x 10 photo of Leonov during his historic first space walk, signed in black felt tip by Leonov, who adds “Voskod–2, 1st Man Walk in Spac

Appealing color satin-finish 8 x 10 half-length photo of Leonov posing at a podium with flags of the United States and the Soviet Union, signed in blu

Appealing color satin-finish 10 x 8 photo of conceptual artwork showing a cosmonaut standing on the lunar surface, signed in gold ink by Alexei Leonov

Color satin-finish 8 x 10 photo of Tereshkova in her white space suit, signed in black felt tip, “First woman in space…16.06—19.06.” In very fine cond

Semi-glossy 8 x 10 cardstock close-up photo of a smiling Valentina Tereshkova in her spacesuit, signed in blue felt tip. In fine condition.

Interesting set of twenty-three pins from the USSR depicting cosmonauts within a circular golden border, measuring about .75? in diameter, including:

Very scarce satin-finish 14 x 11 photo of an X-15 plane, signed vertically in black felt tip by Neil Armstrong, Scott Crossfield, Bill Dana, Joe Engle

Flown limited edition commemorative cover, 9.25 x 4, with a cachet honoring the X-15 pilots, 202/1500, flown over Edwards Air Force Base by Joe Engle,

Two signed glossy 8 x 10 US Air Force publicity portraits of the first two X-15 pilots to attain the rank of astronauts, individually signed and inscr

Commemorative sheet for the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, 7.75 x 11, postmarked on two dates at Edwards Air Force Base, April 14, 1981,

Vintage glossy 13 x 10 photo of the original seven Mercury astronauts posing in front of a US Air Force jet, signed above their respective images in v

Color satin-finish 14 x 11 photo of all seven Mercury astronauts posing in front of an Air Force jet, signed in black felt tip by Scott Carpenter, Gor

Paperstock 8.5 x 11 photo of the Mercury 7 in their space suits, signed in ballpoint and felt tip by six, “Alan Shepard,” “Wally Schirra,” “D. K. Slay

Signed book: We Seven. Book club edition. NY: Simon & Schuster, 1962. Hardcover with dust jacket, 5.75 x 8.5, 473 pages. Signed on an opening pa...

DS, four pages, 8.5 x 13, October 8, 1965. Contract in which Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayto

TLS signed “Sincerely, Edward K. Thompson,” two pages, 7.25 x 11, Life letterhead, April 9, 1959. Letter to the prospective astronauts of Project Merc

Souvenir typescript, one page, 8.5 x 11, signed in black felt tip and ballpoint by Alan Shepard, Wally Schirra, John Glenn, Gordon Cooper, Scott Carpe

TLS signed “Leo,” one page, 5.5 x 8.5, Law Offices of De Orsey and Thompson letterhead, November 22, 1960. Letter to “the boys” of Project Mercury, in

Two items: an original Western Union telegram addressed to longtime space program journalist Mary Bubb, one page, September 15, 1960, in part: “FYI: S

Original vintage glossy 8 x 10 NASA photo of Shepard in the Freedom 7 spacecraft prior to his first flight, signed in black felt tip. Reverse bears bl

Original official NASA news release press kit for Mercury-Redstone 3, 38 pages, 8 x 10.5, April 26, 1961, signed on the cover sheet in black felt tip,

Original Dorsett Electronics press release, one page, 8.5 x 11, no date but circa 1961, signed in black felt tip, “Alan Shepard.” Press released entit

Souvenir typescript, one page, 8.5 x 11, signed in blue ballpoint, “Alan Shepard.” Typescript of the conversation between Shepard and Mission Control

Unusual 7 x 5 philatelic card featuring an image of President John F. Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson with the Mercury 7 astronauts, bear

Extremely rare USS Lake Champlain cover from the recovery of Alan Shepard following his historic first flight on the Freedom 7, canceled “USS Lake Cha

Two pages of space journalist Mary E. Bubb’s handwritten notes, one page in ballpoint and one in pencil, 8.5 x 11, from the MR-3 launch on May 5, 1961

Collection of items, including: a record album entitled “A Recording of the Historic Space Voyage of Americas First Astronaut,” signed on the sleeve i

A cut cross section of the umbilical cable used in the MR-3 launch of Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 on May 5, 1961, measuring approximately 2? in diameter

Certificate awarded to Gus Grissom by the American Astronautical Society, one page, 11.75 x 8.75, no date. In full: “The American Astronautical Societ

ALS signed “Virgil,” two pages both sides, 7.75 x 10, Project Mercury letterhead, October 7, 1961. Letter to his mother. In full: “I just got home fro

Historic silver 1944 Mercury Head dime recovered from Gus Grissom’s Liberty Bell 7 spacecraft almost 38 years to the day after the Mercury capsule and

Flown Aireasearch Environmental Control Unit (ECU) component recovered from the Liberty Bell 7 spacecraft wreckage almost 38 years to the day after th

Flown original component from Gus Grissom’s Liberty Bell 7 Mercury spacecraft, recovered from the Atlantic Ocean on July 20, 1999. The piece measures

Color satin-finish 10 x 8 photo of the Liberty Bell 7 capsule at the bottom of the ocean, signed in black felt tip, “Off to space 7/21/61, Guenter F.

Interesting collection of space journalist Mary Bubb’s materials related to the MA-6 launch of John Glenn aboard the Friendship 7 on February 20, 1962

Collection of four items: an official color 8 x 10 NASA lithograph of Glenn in formal attire, signed in black felt tip, “Best regards—John Glenn”; an

Scale model of the Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle on a wooden base, measuring an overall 12.5? tall, signed on the base in black felt tip, “Scott Carpen

Softcover manual entitled Results of the Second United States Manned Orbital Space Flight, 107 pages, 8 x 10.25, May 24, 1962, signed on the front cov

Original official NASA news release press kit for Mercury-Atlas 7, 23 pages, 8 x 10.5, May 13, 1962, signed on the cover sheet in ballpoint, “Scott Ca

Brilliant color satin-finish 8 x 10 photo of the Friendship 7 liftoff on February 20, 1962, signed in black felt tip, “‘God Speed John Glenn, Friendsh

Souvenir handwritten autobiographical statement entitled “Testimony of a Fortunate Man,” one page, 8.5 x 11, personal letterhead, no date. In part: “T

Collection of space journalist Mary E. Bubb’s materials related to the MA-7 launch of Scott Carpenter aboard the Aurora 7 on May 24, 1962, including:

Scott Carpenter’s Society of Experimental Test Pilots Iven C. Kincheloe Award presented to Carpenter at the Seventh Annual Awards Banquet in Santa Mon

DS, signed “Walter M. Schirra, Jr.,” one page both sides, 8 x 10, July 10, 1961. Official Department of the Navy temporary appointment of Schirra as “

ALS, one page, 8.5 x 11, personal letterhead, no date. In full: “Instead of blaming newly designed equipment observers blamed Gus Grissom for blowing

Color satin-finish 8 x 10 photo of Schirra and Cooper with the Sigma 7 capsule, signed in blue and black felt tip, “Wally Schirra, Sigma 7 Cdr.,” and

Collection of space journalist Mary E. Bubb’s materials related to the MA-8 launch of Wally Schirra aboard the Sigma 7 on October 3, 1962, including:

Two TLSs from Time Magazine and Life Magazine, both one page, 6.25 x 6.75 and 7.25 x 11, addressed to Jo Schirra, the wife of Sigma 7 astronaut Wally

First motion switch used in the launch of Cooper’s Faith 7 capsule, mounted inside a 9.25 x 3.5 x 3.5 display, with a descriptive plaque on the side r

Two items: an official glossy 8 x 10 NASA photo of Cooper preparing for the MA-9 flight, signed in blue felt tip, “Gordon Cooper, Faith 7, 1963”; and

Two items: an official color 8 x 10 NASA lithograph of Cooper in formal attire, signed in black felt tip; and a souvenir typescript of a prayer said b

Three photos: a glossy 8 x 10 full-length photo of Schirra in his Mercury spacesuit, signed in blue felt tip, “Wally Schirra, Original Mercury 7 astro

Collection of space journalist Mary E. Bubb’s materials related to the MA-9 launch of Gordon Cooper aboard the Faith 7 on May 15, 1963, including: two

DS, signed “Donald K. Slayton,” one page, 8 x 10.5, May 12, 1957. Official form for requesting a military leave in which Captain Slayton of the “Fight

Satin-finish 10 x 8 photo of launch pad leader Guenter Wendt holding Ham the chimpanzee, signed in black felt tip, “‘Ham,’ America’s first chimp in sp

Wally Schirra’s black Walt Disney World Mission Space jacket, size XL, embroidered on the left breast, “Wally Schirra” and “Mission Space,” with a col

Scott Carpenter’s black Warner Bros. jacket manufactured by Starwears of Los Angeles, constructed of a black fabric body with leather sleeves, embroid

Signed book: Selecting the Mercury Seven. Chichseter, UK: Springer-Praxis, 2011. Softcover, 6.75 x 9.5, 371 pages. Signed on the title page in black f

Interesting circa 1963 lunar globe produced by Paul Rath Verlag, Leipzig, for Pergamon Press, 13? in diameter, displayed on a wooden stand with inlaid

Highly sought-after vintage color 15 x 20.75 print of a launching Titan III rocket by Martin Marietta conceptual illustrator James Boren, signed in va