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  Fisher space pen w/flown Apollo 11 kapton

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Author Topic:   Fisher space pen w/flown Apollo 11 kapton
328KF
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Posts: 1234
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Registered: Apr 2008

posted 06-04-2010 10:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 328KF   Click Here to Email 328KF     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Fisher has produced an Apollo 11 40th anniversary AG-7 "space pen" which is quite unique. It is black titanium nitrite-plated and engraved, but most interesting is the small piece of flown kapton foil from Columbia contained in the button.

It looks like Fisher used the enlarged button head from the Thunderbirds edition pen to allow the space for the small square of foil. The edition size is limited to 100 pieces, and priced at $800.

SpaceAholic
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Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 06-04-2010 11:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A wee bit of Kapton for $800. With all the subdividing of artifacts its only a matter of time before commemorative nano-particles fabricated from flown Apollo items will be sold.

MadSci
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Posts: 226
From: Maryland, USA
Registered: Oct 2008

posted 06-07-2010 02:16 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MadSci     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Scott - the sweepings from your floor are probably a rich vein to mine...

Larry McGlynn
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Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 06-07-2010 08:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Larry McGlynn   Click Here to Email Larry McGlynn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Scott, what I want to know is where the Apollo 11 flown foil came from for the pen.

Krone Pen did this same type of issue back in 2003. A Buzz Aldrin signed letter that was included with the pen. The Krone pen sold for $2,500 back then.

The letter itself was a bit controversial, since it really never said the foil was from Columbia and then the dealer, University Archives, was selling the extra letters at R&R Auctions.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 06-07-2010 08:19 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Fisher Space Pen worked with collectSPACE to obtain the Kapton. As the included certificate of authenticity attests, the flown material was obtained from Ken Havekotte's Space Coast Cover Service, which in turn directly sourced the Kapton from former Rockwell Apollo 11 recovery team member O.W. Nasse.

Larry McGlynn
Member

Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 06-07-2010 05:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Larry McGlynn   Click Here to Email Larry McGlynn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That is where I was told the Krone Pen Kapton foil also came from in 2003. It was never specifically mentioned in the letter that Buzz signed for Krone that it came from Apollo 11.

As I remember John Reznikov and David Frohman worked with Buzz Aldrin to create the letter for the Krone Pen Company. John told me that the foil came through Ken from a Rockwell employee. I also seem to remember that the letter said that Kapton foil was necessary for the successful completion of the Apollo missions, it never said that the foil included in the pen was from Apollo 11. What proof do we have that the employee is correct about where the Kapton foil came from?

Is there a COA signed by an Apollo 11 astronaut with this pen?

Robert, both you and I looked into the Krone Pen deal due to the controversy attached to it at the time. Is this different Kapton foil? While I don't question Ken, I do question the employee. It is a lot of money for a pen with some Kapton in it.

Ken Havekotte
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Posts: 2913
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 06-07-2010 07:55 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ken Havekotte   Click Here to Email Ken Havekotte     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Larry, to the best of my knowledge, I did not directly provide any flown Apollo Kapton to Krone Pen Company in 2003 or any other year!

There may be a possibility that someone else, after obtaining Kapton insulation from my firm, may had provided some flown Kapton to Krone -- but certainly without my direct knowledge and/or participation.

My firm, though, in 2009 did provide Fisher Space Pen Co. with flown/used Kapton that was a part of CM-107's thermal insulation, while working together with collectSPACE.

Larry McGlynn
Member

Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 06-07-2010 08:25 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Larry McGlynn   Click Here to Email Larry McGlynn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Ken, no problem. That is what I heard from the parties involved with the Krone pen deal.

I am just leery on these Kapton foil deals, since I don't know Kapton foil can be traced to a specific mission without relying on someone's word.

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