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Author Topic:   R&R Enterprises March 2008 auction
stsmithva
Member

Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 02-24-2008 07:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for stsmithva   Click Here to Email stsmithva     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
On another thread, it was discussed how R&R seems to have great space items every month. Well, their March auction went online today, and there are two documents that are a couple of the best I've seen in the last year or so.

First, there is a flown Apollo 11 flight plan page signed by Aldrin. There have been a few of those around lately; in fact one on eBay twice failed to meet its minimum bid of $4500 (or was it $4000?) This one, however, in just a few hours, with weeks to go, is already up to about $3600 (with BP) because it has mission notes written on it by Armstrong and Collins. I think I've seen one like that on a web page run by a cS member. Amazing.

Then there is a February 1969 evaluation for Aldrin written by Armstrong as "command astronaut" (since the crew for Apollo 11 had already been named). That one is even better than the one sold by R&R last September, since that one was written in January of 1965 and Armstrong was listed as "senior astronaut." Perhaps any astronaut more senior than Aldrin could have evaluated him, and it happened to be Armstrong?

Anyway, this 1965 one went for $5207, so I would imagine the 1969 one will go for even higher.

With the amazing hardware items on Heritage in March, we collectors have quite an assortment of items to choose from after we knock over the corner liquor store!

Steve

rjurek349
Member

Posts: 1190
From: Northwest Indiana
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 02-24-2008 09:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for rjurek349   Click Here to Email rjurek349     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Steve - you are right, those will be fun auctions to watch. Also keep an eye on the Amelia Earhart signed first edition book, with a flag included that flew with her across the Atlantic. I've seen those books listed for as much as $6,000 at some dealers. It will be interesting to see where that one goes. Rich

capoetc
Member

Posts: 2169
From: McKinney TX (USA)
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 02-24-2008 09:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for capoetc   Click Here to Email capoetc     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by stsmithva:
Then there is a February 1969 evaluation for Aldrin written by Armstrong as "command astronaut" (since the crew for Apollo 11 had already been named).
Steve -

I believe the "senior astronaut" and "command astronaut" terms have nothing to do with Armstrong's selection to command Apollo 11. That was his aeronautical rating at the time (you'll notice that Deke Slayton is also listed as "command astronaut" on the R & R document). In the Air Force, a command astronaut would have a star surrounded by a wreath above his astronaut wings.

------------------
John Capobianco
Camden DE

Ken Havekotte
Member

Posts: 2915
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 02-24-2008 10:32 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ken Havekotte   Click Here to Email Ken Havekotte     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I think John is correct. A "command astronaut" during the 1960s was considered a higher-astronaut rating, usually an experienced spaceflight veteran, within the flight crew office of active NASA astronauts. Take for instance the AS-204 (Apollo 1) crew chosen in April 1966; Grissom was the "Command Pilot," White was the "Senior Pilot," along with Chaffee as "Pilot." It wasn't until the Apollo 7 astronauts were selected when the prime flight crew members had their titles changed; "Commander" was Schirra, Eisele was the "Command Module Pilot," with Cunningham as "Lunar Module Pilot."

mjanovec
Member

Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 02-24-2008 11:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by stsmithva:
Anyway, this 1965 one went for $5207, so I would imagine the 1969 one will go for even higher.

The 1969 version also has a rare full name signature from Armstrong that also includes his middle initial. I'd be curious to know how many items signed like this are in collector's hands.

stsmithva
Member

Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 02-25-2008 05:35 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for stsmithva   Click Here to Email stsmithva     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thank you for the interesting information about "command" and "senior" astronauts. Do you think it was a coincidence that it was Armstrong who evaluated Aldrin in 1965, and possibly even in both cases? How were the evaluating astronauts chosen? (Veering the discussion a bit away from R&R's auction a bit, but hopefully still relevant.)

Steve

spaceflori
Member

Posts: 1499
From: Germany
Registered: May 2000

posted 02-25-2008 02:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaceflori   Click Here to Email spaceflori     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by mjanovec:
The 1969 version also has a rare full name signature from Armstrong that also includes his middle initial. I'd be curious to know how many items signed like this are in collector's hands.


I know of a tax declaration with an even better version of his autograph, so there are at least two. :-)

Florian

mjanovec
Member

Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 02-25-2008 02:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by spaceflori:
I know of a tax declaration with an even better version of his autograph, so there are at least two. :-)

There is Noah's check from July 16 as well.

Brian Maguire
Member

Posts: 20
From: Durham,UK
Registered: Sep 2006

posted 03-14-2008 03:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Brian Maguire   Click Here to Email Brian Maguire     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by stsmithva:
First, there is a flown Apollo 11 flight plan page signed by Aldrin. There have been a few of those around lately; in fact one on eBay twice failed to meet its minimum bid of $4500 (or was it $4000?) This one, however, in just a few hours, with weeks to go, is already up to about $3600 (with BP) because it has mission notes written on it by Armstrong and Collins. I think I've seen one like that on a web page run by a cS member. Amazing.
That Apollo flight plan page went for over $16k! WOW!!

spaced out
Member

Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 03-14-2008 06:00 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaced out   Click Here to Email spaced out     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The price for lot 335 must be a record of sorts. Apollo 11 crew WSS lithos - Collins SP, Aldrin SP and Armstrong ISP.

Closing price $4264.

The Collins is worth around $300, the Aldrin $150. That values the Armstrong personalized WSS at $3814. Ouch!

mjanovec
Member

Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 03-15-2008 12:00 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by spaced out:
The Collins is worth around $300, the Aldrin $150. That values the Armstrong personalized WSS at $3814. Ouch!

Yeah, that was an amazing price. I think it shows that R&R attracts a lot of collectors who may not necessarily know the true value of some items or they have deep enough pockets that they really don't care. It's definitely a seller's market there.

mikelarson
Member

Posts: 293
From: Port Washington, NY
Registered: Jan 2005

posted 03-15-2008 02:20 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mikelarson   Click Here to Email mikelarson     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The prices realized for the high-end space and aviations items were absolutely astounding. This trend also seems to be occurring in other autograph categories as well both with RR and other auction houses. The high-end items are really pulling in big dollars across the board.

It wouldn't surprise me if the trend of higher autograph prices continue. With the stock market in tatters and no one buying real estate, there aren't a whole lot of attractive traditional investment options at the moment. And the threat of banks failing due to the liquidity crisis isn't helping the situation.

I think high-end, unique non-traditional investments like art, collectibles, and coins are going to have a nice run in the next couple of years. They folks with the money are going to need to put it somewhere. Let's just hope that we can avoid the "bubble" that happened with the stock market and real estate!

Mike

gliderpilotuk
Member

Posts: 3398
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 03-17-2008 05:49 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for gliderpilotuk   Click Here to Email gliderpilotuk     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by mikelarson:
I think high-end, unique non-traditional investments like art, collectibles, and coins are going to have a nice run in the next couple of years. They folks with the money are going to need to put it somewhere. Let's just hope that we can avoid the "bubble" that happened with the stock market and real estate!Mike

Maybe those "smart" investment bankers will allow me to leverage myself up 300% so that I can afford an Apollo 11 crew item?

After the dotcom bubble burst there wasn't an immediate influx of money to collectibles. It was not until the last three years that Armstrong/Ap11 items have gone through the roof and that was no doubt partly because many felt they had high disposable income under circumstances where they could fund house, car and holidays on ridiculous credit levels at low interest rates. That's not going to be the case for the next couple of years, with knock-on effects on most people's spend.

The limited supply and niche market for these items may preserve their value, but personally I'd never regard astro collectibles as long-term investments.

Paul

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