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Author
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Topic: 171201554142: NASA T-38A Topping model
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stsmithva
Member Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 01-18-2014 06:17 AM
   
I was the top bidder on this Topping model of a T-38A, with NASA decals on it. The seller said that he bought it at a Superior auction (before they became Regency-Superior, I believe) in the late 90s or early 00s, where it was described as being Buzz Aldrin's personal model. The seller also says that Aldrin put on the NASA decals himself, and he'd lost the auction paperwork, which didn't exactly increase my confidence in the provenance. But since I've been concentrating more on vintage models in my collection and had been looking for a model of this aircraft so important to NASA, I was happy to get it at this price even if the Aldrin connection doesn't pan out. However, in the interest of exploring this Aldrin connection... do any cS members by any chance still have Superior (or maybe Regency) space catalogs from the late 90s or early 00s, and could glance through looking for a listing of this model? And if you find it, could you take a photo or scan and send it to me? I very much appreciate any time and effort you could put into this. I just love building up the provenance on the items in my collection.
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SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-18-2014 08:28 AM
quote:
Originally posted by stsmithva:
The seller also says that Aldrin put on the NASA decals himself, and he'd lost the auction paperwork, which didn't exactly increase my confidence in the provenance.
Wouldn't the paperwork/catalog entry only validate that Superior makes the claim of Aldrin's association (rather then authenticating Aldrin's actual relationship with the model)? |
stsmithva
Member Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 01-18-2014 09:08 AM
Oh sure, but I'd be happy with just that. Aldrin has been selling items of his through Regency-Superior since the early 90s, so an image of the auction listing, with hopefully a photo clear enough to notice specific details on the model I now have, would be great. |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 2475
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 01-18-2014 06:21 PM
I have all the Superior catalogs back to 1993. No Aldrin T-38, however in both the Spring and Fall 2001 auction there was a T-38 with NASA markings, not from the Aldrin collection but both from the Ed White estate. I am assuming it did notsell in the Spring and went into the Fall sale ($264 final price in the Fall I do not have the Spring hammer prices). I hope that helps. |
stsmithva
Member Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 01-18-2014 06:34 PM
Thank you very much for taking the time to look through those catalogs. If you could take a quick picture or scan of the listing, I'd be able to compare the picture(s) to the one I have. Maybe there will be a match and the eBay seller got the name wrong; maybe there will be no match at all. I reckon it was an OK price with no astronaut provenance at all. |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 2475
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 01-18-2014 06:52 PM
Just looked at your eBay ad model. It has a black solid base and numbers on the tail. The Superior models both have the typical clear Lucite base and a NASA decal on the tail (yellow stripe and the letters NASA). When I can I will get you a photo, however the catalog pictures are small. The model you bought is still a very nice model and looks to be a contractor (Northrop) model which is very rare as well. (By the way, I went back through 1995 and looked a second time just to be sure.) |
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