When Bill Lende invented the aftermarket air conditioner for the Volkswagen Beetle in 1969, he probably didn't expect one of his first takers would be an astronaut.
But that's exactly what happened when Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, drove his personal vehicle to San Antonio, Texas, in 1970 to have Lende's newly invented HEATRANSFER air conditioner unit added to his Beetle. As a thank-you, Aldrin gifted him with a large image of himself on the moon.
Thus began a love affair with all things space for Lende. Already a collector of letters written by inventors and scientists – Lende himself being a respected inventor, engineer and eventual philanthropist and land steward – he would go on to amass an impressive collection of aerospace memorabilia.
This historical collection will now be proudly shared with you by RR Auction, Nov. 9-16.
A longtime client and friend of RR Auction, the Lende family has entrusted RR Auction to present to the public his beloved space exploration collection of personal correspondences, autographed photos, official memos and more. The extensive collection documents – in an intimate, first-person manner – the United States' journey from terra firma to the heavens. Proceeds from this auction will benefit Lende's nonprofit Cibolo Preserve in Boerne, Texas.
Three key documents featured in the auction include a 1963 letter written by Neil Armstrong on "the space effort impact on the world of the future"; a shocking letter from Wernher von Braun, written in 1969 two weeks after the lunar landing, where he reveals his past: "I was a member of Hitler's elite SS Corps"; and a 1964 letter from Gene Cernan, where he poetically muses "It is more than just a dream of adventure; it is an opportunity to know what is unknown – what is not today even conceived in our finite minds."
In addition to the Lende collection, we're including several rare and remarkable standouts. The first is Buzz Aldrin's Apollo 11 Cartier solid gold lunar module replica – one of only three made by the jewelry giant, honoring the first men on the moon. The exquisite workmanship on this 18-karat gold LM Eagle model makes it not only an incredible space exploration collectible, but a work of art to display.
Also included is an extraordinary flown American flag carried on the Apollo 11 mission, signed by the entire crew. Of the few fully signed Apollo 11 flown flag presentations we have encountered, this is the only example to boast the additional inscription by Buzz Aldrin on the flag itself.
We are also featuring the rarest Apollo-flown Robbins medallion, the historic sterling silver Apollo 17 Robbins medal in mint condition. One of the most sought-after and difficult-to-obtain of all the Apollo flown medals, as only 80 were flown on man's final voyage to the moon – the fewest carried on any Apollo mission.
The auction is
available for preview now. Bidding is Nov. 9-16, 2017.