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Author
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Topic: Value of Armstrong-signed suit portrait?
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stsmithva
Member Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 02-09-2008 10:29 PM
   
ANOTHER Armstrong autograph question from me? Honestly, I do know that other astronauts occasionally put pen to paper. It's just that his autograph keeps coming up. My question in the Autographs forum about Armstrong signing 3-D objects (anyone yet?) was based just on curiousity. But now I know someone who has an Armstrong autographed photo he's interested in selling, and I told him that I'd see if someone here might be able to provide an idea of its possible value. Here are the details:Business suit photo (thin dark tie, wood paneling background), good condition, inscribed to "Dick" with good contrast. Vintage style signature. This same person has many early (1962-1966) NASA items such as badges and letters written to the family member who worked there, which provides some provenance. Thanks,
Steve |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 02-09-2008 10:49 PM
$1000-$2000, depending on the weather. |
JoKepler
Member Posts: 515
From: Houston, Texas
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 02-10-2008 12:34 AM
In my opinion the business suit litho is less valuable than the WSS litho. My opinion on an inscribed WSS is around $800 give or take a bit. |
machbusterman
Member Posts: 1778
From: Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Registered: May 2004
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posted 02-10-2008 02:46 AM
quote:
Originally posted by JoKepler:
In my opinion the business suit litho is less valuable than the WSS litho. My opinion on an inscribed WSS is around $800 give or take a bit.
Its a BS litho with a vintage Armstrong (full) signature... that IMHO makes it worth more than an inscribed WSS litho. The WSS litho is (almost) common... its the item NA signed the most so surely the BS litho is more valuable from a collecting stand-point? - Derek |
stsmithva
Member Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 02-10-2008 06:24 AM
I forgot to write that I was curious to see if people thought the "BS" photo (that's "business suit", not anything referring to hoax believers) would be more valuable than the WSS because it's more rare, or less valuable because there might be more demand for the WSS. I just did a Google search to try to find past sales of a BS photo, and the first hit I got was a short cS thread on this very topic back in 2002. Steve |
mensclub10
New Member Posts:
From:
Registered:
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posted 02-10-2008 10:17 AM
I have collected all forms of astronaut signed photos. I have a complete set of WSS lithos-glossies of all pre-shuttle astronauts plus many individual poses. Some astronaut WSS signed litho values are higher than BS photos such as Irwin and Swigert. Many have the same value. However I do find that some BS photos are more difficult to find and therefore more valuable. Red serial numbered signed glossies are definitely the most valuable. Armstrong is a tough one because his WSS signed litho is much more numerous than his BS litho. I believe that his vintage BS litho is more valuable as a collectible because of it's rarity. I didn't do a check of R&R's auctions as a comparison on prices. I would be curious to find out. By the way, I will be having a Neil Armstrong vintage inscribed BS litho hopefully in R&R's March auction. (They have it in their possession but there is no guarantee which month it will be in.) The litho is in pristine condition. Absolutely razor sharp corners etc. Just perfect. I purchased it from Florian Noller. Keep an eye open for it. Like I said, not as common as his WSS litho.The best, Dave |
JoKepler
Member Posts: 515
From: Houston, Texas
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 02-10-2008 10:22 AM
I looked through the recent Novaspace auction results and found that two Neil Armstrong WSS inscribed lithos sold: one for $1550 and one for $1700. Wow! - that is way above what I expected the price to be. The estimate on the $1700 sale was $800 to $1200 (the lower figure being my estimate in an earlier post). Just goes to show that NA items seem to be in a category all their own... and sales prices are often hard to judge. Since any NA signed item seems to be a high demand item, a NA BS litho would qualify to be a high demand and a scarce item - therefore bringing a high price.On the other hand, the WSS just might be the #1 "in demand" item in space collecting - (but that's thought for another thread). With scarce items if two advanced deep-pocketed collectors get into a bidding war the selling price will, of course, be high on a scarce item. However, generally when I want a take on "value" I prefer to look at where the selling price would stabilize if there were about 20 sales. If there are really only a supply of say 5 such items, the supply would rule regarding the value. While not an issue here - inscribed vs. uninscribed is also a huge factor. (again - thought for another thread)... but... The Novaspace auction had an uninscribed Neil Armstrong selling for $6500! I can't imagine an uninscribed BS portrait approaching that sales price. The current R&R auction has a NA in spacesuit X-15 pose uninscribed currently at about $2000. What's more valuable? On one item - ultimately, it's up to the bidders to decide the items price. |
JoKepler
Member Posts: 515
From: Houston, Texas
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 02-10-2008 10:47 AM
One other factor that I don't belive we touched on yet: Is the business suit litho in color or B&W? |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 02-10-2008 11:52 AM
The signed BS litho is definitely less common than the signed WSS litho. However, supply and demand don't always match up perfectly. It seems like more people want the WSS litho, however...therefore they tend to sell a little higher.The thing that I think is going to the BS litho in question is the fact that it's the older signature style. Some collectors either prefer the older signature...or they want an older signature to compliment a "classic" signature style they might already have in their collection. And as JoKepler pointed out, it being a color or B&W litho does also make a big difference. |
stsmithva
Member Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 02-10-2008 02:29 PM
Hello, it's a color litho.Steve |
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