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Author
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Topic: Regency-Superior Jan 2010 auction
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Penney Kols
Member Posts: 38
From: saint louis mo usa
Registered: Sep 2008
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posted 12-07-2009 05:59 PM
  
Regency-Superior continues to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Mankind's first trips to the Moon with a January auction containing some 550 better Space lots. The public auction is being held January 16th at our St. Louis gallery beginning at 11am (CT). Major consignments were received from the well known philatelic exhibitor, Dr. Benjamin Ramkissoon, including his International Gold-Medal winning exhibit of stamps, covers and space-related items; the estate of John A. Mason, Sr, the former Deputy Director of Houston's Lunar Receiving Laboratory; and from the San Diego Air and Space Museum.  From the Mercury program, we are offering an unusual photo signed by all of the "Mercury 7" astronauts in street clothes huddled around Mercury capsule (Lot 53), and not one, but TWO of the scarce USS Lake Champlain Prime Recovery Ship Covers from the first Manned Mercury flight of Alan Shepard (Lots 58 & 59).  Apollo 11 highlights the extensive manned lunar mission section with a "flown" and "used on the lunar surface" stainless steel "Lunar Sample Container" that brought Moon rocks back to the Lunar Receiving Laboratory in Houston (Lot 154); two different lunar biological experiments, including the actual equipment and materials utilized during the quarantine period; as well as the only yellow quarantine flag used aboard the USS Hornet during the Apollo 11 crew's recovery period (Lot 162).  While Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins were in quarantine, they used special tableware engraved with "Apollo 11" and "Lunar Receiving Laboratory". We have a complete 5-piece service plus several individual utensils (Lots 163-69).  Here's your chance to own a flown cover carried to the moon aboard Apollo 11, signed by the crew, with a notation in Michael Collins hand (Lot 155). The cover has the requisite 'Delayed in Quarantine' marking, and August 11, 1969 cds. Other highlights from this sale include: - Apollo 15 Flown to the Moon's Surface Crew Signed Cover (lot 238)
- Apollo 15 'Phases of the Moon' Crew Signed Flown Cover (lot 239)
- 1972 Apollo Lunar Module Injectible Drug Kit (lot 267)
- Several lots of Space Food, Personal Hygiene Supplies, and Toothpaste
- 1973 Soviet Sokol-K 'Falcon' Rescue Suit (lot 408)
- 1977-84 Soviet 'Orlan-D' EVA Spacesuit (lot 409)
- ISS 'Fast Lab' Model (lot 524)
The entire auction is now available online for viewing and bidding (absentee and Live bidding) at RegencySuperior.com. Free color catalogs are available by calling toll-free 1-800-782-0066. For specific questions regarding this space auction, please contact Alan Lipkin at alipkin@RegencySuperior.com. Good luck with your bidding!
Regency-Superior Auctions (Auction posted online December 8th) |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-07-2009 07:21 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Penney Kols:
Apollo 11 highlights the extensive manned lunar mission section with a "flown" and "used on the lunar surface" stainless steel [b]"Lunar Sample Container" that brought Moon rocks back to the Lunar Receiving Laboratory in Houston (Lot 154);
Lot 154 would not have been flown at all; this type container was used within the LRL for specimen storage. What evidence of provenance was applied to assert flown status?------------------
Scott Schneeweis, LCDR, USN;
SPACEAHOLIC.com |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-07-2009 07:38 PM
Lot 297 (Identified as "APOLLO SOYUZ MEDICAL KIT") description states that determination was made of its mission affiliation based on year stamped on bandage; assuming it is flown (and I think a very weak case has been made for that since anybody could have harvested the medication in Russia after this kit was removed from inventory), there were at least 3 other Soyuz launches in 1975 (17, 18A, 18) and multiple launches in the immediate years following. Does Superior have any other provenance available specifically tying this kit to flight onboard Soyuz 19 (ASTP)? |
DOX32
Member Posts: 242
From: Lakewood Ranch FL USA
Registered: Jul 2004
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posted 12-07-2009 08:33 PM
Lots 372 and 373 are for Scott C76 not C56.Also, as noted for lot 372, stamps are not complete Datz C76a errors as some color exists. Nice sheets for specialist. |
rjurek349
Member Posts: 1190
From: Northwest Indiana
Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 12-07-2009 09:12 PM
For Lot 154 -- Scott's right on the LRL container. (The again -- when is Scott NOT right on something like hardware???) Those containers were used for post flight sample processing in the LRL and not for sample/return from the moon. These containers have surfaced a lot in the last few years. And while a neat artifact of the LRL, the estimate is way off of market value, especially for a non-flown item. I would think any of the living moonwalkers or ex-LRL workers could easily verify this point as well. |
Leon Ford
Member Posts: 309
From: Shreveport, LA, United States
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-07-2009 09:47 PM
Lot 154 makes you wonder if ANY research was done on anything in the auction. BUYER BEWARE!! |
Alan Lipkin
Member Posts: 78
From: Beverly Hills, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 12-08-2009 12:42 PM
quote:
Originally posted by DOX32:
Lots 372 and 373 are for Scott C76 not C56.
Thank you for the correction on the Scott catalog number. My error. quote:
Originally posted by SpaceAholic:
Does Superior have any other provenance available specifically tying this kit to flight onboard Soyuz 19 (ASTP)?
Our consignor for this item, a very knowledgeable individual, only stated that this was "probably" flown, which is what we put in our description.Alan |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 12-08-2009 04:36 PM
The item description for Lot 154 is indeed quite unfortunate, as it really does appear nobody has done their homework for this item. This level of attention (or apparent lack of) could easily cast doubt on other items in this auction that are also claimed to be "flown."Many of the autographs generally appear good this time around (at least on first glance)...which is good news...though the scans are often too small to really tell with any certainty. The Mercury 7 signed photo really needs to be presented in higher resolution if they expect serious bidders to be interested in it. (On edit: Another collector let me know that if you click on the image, then click on the magnifying glass in the upper right corner of the image, the image size is much larger...which is a nice improvement over previous auctions!) Also, the Shepard in Lot 474 is a classic secretarial style signature, with the spiked "p." It should be labeled as a secreterial signature. (Perhaps more attention should have been paid to the signature than the style of Shepard's suit coat.) |
Alan Lipkin
Member Posts: 78
From: Beverly Hills, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 12-09-2009 11:25 AM
quote:
Originally posted by SpaceAholic:
Lot 154 would not have been flown at all; this type container was used within the LRL for specimen storage. What evidence of provenance was applied to assert flown status?
First I would like to thank all of you who posted constructive criticism.Lot 154 was consigned late to this auction and was still in the verification stage when the catalog was published. We are in contact with the consignor, Dr. Mason (Son of former LRL deputy director John A. Mason). He indicated initially that his father told him that the rock container was carried to the Moon's surface aboard Apollo 11. We now believe that this was not the case. He has agreed to remove the wording indicating that the item was flown to the Moon. We also agreed to lower the pre-sale estimate to $7,000 to $10,000 for this extraordinary item. We do check items placed in sales, sometimes there are delays and we apologize for that. We hope that group members will please try not to "throw the baby out with the bathwater". |
Alan Lipkin
Member Posts: 78
From: Beverly Hills, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 12-09-2009 11:37 AM
quote:
Originally posted by mjanovec:
Also, the Shepard in Lot 474 is a classic secretarial style signature, with the spiked "p." It should be labeled as a secreterial signature.
Thank you for your comments. It is difficult to make everyone satisfied with authenticity of certain autographs. This one was submitted to PSA/DNA for a letter of authenticity which it received. They are one of the better known formal authenticators of autographs as well as one of the few who do not have a conflict of interest. We try not to get authentication from individuals who work for other space auction houses.As in all cases, you should only bid on those items or experts you are comfortable with. We try not to get into battles between disagreeing experts. |
cddfspace
Member Posts: 609
From: Morris County, NJ, USA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 12-09-2009 12:25 PM
While I do collect astronaut signed baseballs, I think I may have to pass on item 450 a baseball signed by Neil Armstrong, Pat Sajak, Vanna White and a child... |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 12-09-2009 01:06 PM
There is no doubt at all that lot 474 is a classic secretarial Shepard signature.Unfortunately the expert authenticators you used may not be familiar with his secretarial signatures and may just compare a signature against known vintage Shepard autographs from many sources, which will unfortunately include many examples of this style of signature. They may also be using a well-known old study of Shepard secretarials which only covered a style of secretarial signature produced during that particular time period. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 12-09-2009 02:47 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Lipkin:
We try not to get authentication from individuals who work for other space auction houses.
You might want to consider it. Many of the other auction houses that run space auctions (Heritage, R&R, Goldberg, Bonhams, etc.) have authenticators who have a great track record. I suspect most of them would have spotted this Shepard secretarial very quickly, because they specialize in space autographs... and aren't generalist authenticators like some of the guys at PSA/DNA are.An independent expert is only as good as his knowledge level within a certain field. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-09-2009 02:52 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Lipkin:
We do check items placed in sales, sometimes there are delays and we apologize for that. We hope that group members will please try not to "throw the baby out with the bathwater".
I hope the default presumption is unflown unless very strong evidence of provenance exists (extraordinary claims should be backed-up by extraordinary provenance) - clearly not evident in the way that lots 154 and 297 were assessed/listed. Given the premium flown items command, its tempting to affix that caveat to lots in order to realize short term profit but over the long-haul, when unsubstantiated by the facts will erode the credibility of your company. Enforcing a high threshold for provenance, coupled with assessment by competent subject matter experts prior to building the lots represents a key distinction between mediocre auction houses and the gold standards in the industry (Superior, which has done so many great things to enable our hobby used to be the latter but is transitioning to the former IMO) - Caveat Emptor. |
SpaceSteve
Member Posts: 428
From: San Antonio TX, USA
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 12-09-2009 03:48 PM
In my personal view, PSA/DNA is worthless when it comes to astronaut autographs. Here's another item, a Mercury 7 signed photo, that supposedly received a PSA/DNA LOA. The Shepard is a "spiked-p" secretarial, and the Cooper and Schirra both appear to be autopens.I contacted the auction house about it, and heard nothing in reply. The photo sold for $5K. |
capoetc
Member Posts: 2169
From: McKinney TX (USA)
Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 12-10-2009 08:06 PM
quote:
Originally posted by SpaceSteve:
In my personal view, PSA/DNA is worthless when it comes to astronaut autographs. ...
I have to agree with you regarding PSA/DNA and astronaut autographs ... PSA/DNA is totally unreliable (IMO) in that regard. That is certainly not a reflection on Regency-Superior, from whom I have obtained quite a few items over the years. I have always found them to be diligent and great to work with. IMO, a first-rate auction house. ------------------
John Capobianco
Camden DE |
GerryM
Member Posts: 244
From: Glenside PA
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 12-11-2009 08:18 PM
Lot #320 (STS 51-L) Complete crew signed cover is not complete. It is missing Greg Jarvis and sadly is not worth near the $5000-7500 estimate.Lot #269 Joe Engle inscribed and signed wss litho. This would be a scarce litho if it were simply signed with no personalization. Inscribed WSS lithos of Engle are not that rare. Hence the value of $250-350 is way off the mark. Lot #170 Buzz Aldrin signed and personalized WSS litho. The personalization is not in Aldrin's hand and should be noted as such. Gerry Montague
Astronaut Archives |
Alan Lipkin
Member Posts: 78
From: Beverly Hills, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 12-16-2009 03:10 PM
Gerry, thank you for your input. As always you are very astute.You are obviously correct on the missing Jarvis in lot # 320. We are working on whether we can revise the description or delete the lot. On lot # 170 the inscription is not in Aldrin's hand. This does not change the estimate much. Lot # 269 people may bid what they wish, scarcity is not an absolute but a relative term. |
GerryM
Member Posts: 244
From: Glenside PA
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 12-17-2009 12:26 PM
Alan, Thanks for the kind words. We know that when problems are brought to your attention you will make them right.On another note, I hate to be a killjoy but lot #197 is labeled "accepted design". This Calle design was NOT accepted for the stamp. Gerry Montague |
Tykeanaut
Member Posts: 2212
From: Worcestershire, England, UK.
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 12-20-2009 06:13 AM
I can't figure out the description for lot# 255. Flown kapton foil from lunar module? How could they remove this from the LM when none of it comes back? |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-20-2009 08:17 AM
An image of the Grumman "KSC Quality Assurance Tag" referenced in the description lot (255) is not included so not all the facts are on the table; however have a very difficult time believing this foil was flown. While its possible for an astronaut to remove a piece of Kapton foil during EVA (indeed this would not be the first example); the artifact has an intact screw with kapton tape remaining over the fastener which would have been used to anchor the foil to the LM structure!. Since its improbable an A7L gloved astronaut would have sufficient dexterity during EVA to lift the kapton tape, operate a Philips head screw driver to remove/retain/reattach the fastener, and produce a straight edge cut with right angles (which EVA tool?), one would have to assume this piece was excised from a much larger assembly during a non-suited evolution. In the absence of supporting evidence of provenance addressing the above discrepancy, have to conclude this item was not flown. |
Swiss Apollo
New Member Posts: 9
From: Switzerland
Registered: Dec 2009
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posted 12-21-2009 10:30 AM
The foil "lot 158" is NOT a part of the Solar Wind Collector. "For reinforcement,the foils were rimmed with Teflon tape. The backside of the aluminium foils was anodically covered with approximately 1 μm of Al2O3" Source: THE APOLLO SWC EXPERIMENT: RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS,
CONSEQUENCES. The backside of the genuine SWC foil flown on Apollo 11 is mostly WHITE and not ORANGE (the foil, also the orange part, is in Berne, Switzerland) Source: as11-40-5872HR The SWC Experiment is my speciality and the Professor Johannes Geiss, the Principal Investigator, a friend of mine. Regards Lukas Viglietti
Swiss Apollo Association, President
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SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-21-2009 11:55 AM
 |
mmmoo
Member Posts: 551
From: London, England
Registered: May 2001
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posted 12-22-2009 07:09 PM
Lot #114 is not a painting, but a photo printed on canvasMike Constantine
http://moonpans.com |
gliderpilotuk
Member Posts: 3398
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 01-16-2010 02:54 PM
Anyone watching the auction?I think it's what you'd call a mixed bag. Lot 87 Armstrong signed Gemini recovery cover... $3750 + premium (!); lots 114-117 either didn't sell, or sold WAY below the target prices; lot 238 Apollo 15 flown cover at $5500 and lot 239 at $2000 seemed good deals. Lot 269 Engle inscribed WSS for $350, yet Lot 300, complete ALT and shuttle carrier crews only $120! |
yeknom-ecaps
Member Posts: 660
From: Northville MI USA
Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 01-16-2010 03:58 PM
Logged in okay and moved around auction page okay seeing the lots go by but got an "error, try again" message trying to bid on the first lots I wanted to bid on - had to log out and back in - by that time that batch of lots I wanted was gone as there were seven in a row. Suggestion: maybe they can put in a "dummy" lot 0 next time so I can make sure bidding works before I get to one I want to bid on and find a problem.Later on the lot I REALLY wanted I was top bidder then another Internet bid popped onto the screen and the auction went to the next lot with zero time to respond. That other bid time was just right to get in as the lot closed. Don't feel bad if it's my choice to stop bidding but in this case... the computer system got me not another bidder! Bad day all around so I'm done bidding for the day. |
Tykeanaut
Member Posts: 2212
From: Worcestershire, England, UK.
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 01-16-2010 05:19 PM
How much did the flown Apollo 11 film go for? |
johnraiders
Member Posts: 78
From: Cobham, UK
Registered: Sep 2009
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posted 01-16-2010 05:52 PM
Lot 159 went for $600 plus premium. |
spaceflori
Member Posts: 1499
From: Germany
Registered: May 2000
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posted 01-16-2010 11:37 PM
quote:
Originally posted by gliderpilotuk:
lot 238 Apollo 15 flown cover at $5500 and lot 239 at $2000 seemed good deals
$6435 for 238 with BP is about the current going price (lower end indeed) for one of those in German stamp auctions - keep in mind it's not a Sieger cover which commands a premium.I personally wouldn't get my hands even near anything like lot 239 - maybe $200 for a signed cover but not more. Too much is unknown with the "phases" cover and lots of unflown circulating the market. Also the wording is already wrong "and autographed it on the moon" - no covers were ever signed during the flight if I'm correct. |
gliderpilotuk
Member Posts: 3398
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 01-17-2010 04:42 AM
Lot 382 Yeager inscribed photo: $800 + premium.  The inscribed Gagarin pieces went for a pretty penny. I think one went for $1900. |
machbusterman
Member Posts: 1778
From: Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Registered: May 2004
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posted 01-17-2010 10:44 AM
quote:
Originally posted by gliderpilotuk:
Lot 382 Yeager inscribed photo: $800 + premium.
That is insane!! I'm assuming the winning bidder thinks that photo was taken the day the sound barrier was broken? The shots of the X-1 with white painted under-fuselage are from 1949 and beyond as I recall. |
Mercurypgm
Member Posts: 292
From: Houston, Tx
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 01-17-2010 12:09 PM
No problems after the auction started. All my on line bids were placed in a timely fashion as were my pre-auction bids. I am glad I printed out a list of my pre-auction bids or I might have accidently bid against myself. lol. KUDOS to Alan and company..... |
DChudwin
Member Posts: 1096
From: Lincolnshire IL USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 01-18-2010 07:51 AM
I bid on-line before the auction and was pleased with the ease of the program and the e-mail updates.I was very happy to get the top two items I wanted at favorable prices. My main goal was lot 202--an Apollo 11 USS Hornet Captain's Cover. These are very scarce and fetched up to $1,000 in the past. I won it at $475 hammer price (plus 17% buyers premium). My second aquisition was a GT-6 abort cover with the official NASA cachet for $75 hammer price-- a cover worth $200-300 in the past. These results suggest that the market for covers without autographs is down. |
Alan Lipkin
Member Posts: 78
From: Beverly Hills, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 01-18-2010 04:52 PM
quote:
Originally posted by yeknom-ecaps:
Logged in okay and moved around auction page okay seeing the lots go by but got an "error, try again" message trying to bid on the first lots I wanted to bid on - had to log out and back in - by that time that batch of lots I wanted was gone as there were seven in a row.
Sorry for the problems. Most bidders found that the sale went very smoothly for them. We will see if we can have a "ZERO' lot at the beginning totest if everything is connected smoothly, good idea.Could you let us know which lot number it was that you were outbid on at the last second. We will be happy to send you a print-out of the bidding times on that lot so far as the computer has them. Thanks again for your input. |
Alan Lipkin
Member Posts: 78
From: Beverly Hills, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 01-18-2010 05:07 PM
Thank you all for your bidding and comments on collectSPACE.We have had very few problems or complaints on this sale. The system seems to be working better and better each time. Suggestions: Please register beforehand and have your password and code ready when bidding opens. You must have the latest edition of Java on your computer. It is recommended that you have cable over DSL. Definitely dial-up is not fast enough. For whatever reason a very few bids seen to disappear into the 'ether'. We have spoken to many other on-line auction houses and virtually all of them say that that happens to them occasionally as well. If you want to be sure that your bid does not get "lost" in that way, you can arrange to bid on the telephone, submit mail bids before the sale or use an auction agent. Thanks again,we will continue to work with you to make bidding easier and easier. Remember, we would like to get your bids, we do not try to give it to a 'floor' bidder over an internet bidder, it would make absolutely no sense. We WANT the items to go to the highest bidder! |
micropooz
Member Posts: 1512
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 01-18-2010 05:37 PM
Alan, I have to commend one of your employees, unfortunately I didn't catch his name. I had sent some bids along with a friend who was attending the auction in-person. Well, about mid afternoon I got a call that he had to head to the airport and could not be there to submit my bid on a later lot. I tried to bring up the live bidding program, but I couldn't get it to work. I called your help phone number and one of your staff people very patiently talked me through the Java update and stayed on the phone with me until we were both sure that everything was working ok for me. He got me up and going in time to get in my final bid (successfully too!). Thanks for the great user support! Dennis Dillman |
yeknom-ecaps
Member Posts: 660
From: Northville MI USA
Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 01-18-2010 11:08 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Lipkin:
Could you let us know which lot number it was that you were outbid on at the last second. We will be happy to send you a print-out of the bidding times on that lot so far as the computer has them.
Thanks Alan. It was lot 400. I spoke to one of the employees and they talked me through what happened - "last call", several more bids, mine shows as top bid, system is told to close the lot but an internet bid arrives while it is closing and is accepted, new bid shows up on the screen and immediately moves to next lot with no chance for me to respond. Maybe there should have been another "last call". Just frustrating to have the computer system beat you instead of an actual bidder. Still have no idea what the error was on my first bids - just the "error, try again" which didn't work either. Hopefully will go better for next auction. Sounds like everyone else's bidding went a-ok. |
Alan Lipkin
Member Posts: 78
From: Beverly Hills, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 01-19-2010 02:21 PM
Thanks everyone for the positive feedback! We are trying hard!Alan |
andrewcli
Member Posts: 328
From: La Jolla, CA, USA
Registered: Jul 2007
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posted 01-19-2010 02:44 PM
I too, would like to express my gratitude to Alan and the rest of the team for their hard work. I had a little snafu, where my final bid was $50 more than I had originally put down. I called up and spoke to Cathy on Sat. and she immediately looked into it and corrected the problem while I was on hold.Thanks again! |
poofacio
Member Posts: 268
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2006
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posted 01-19-2010 03:03 PM
As always Regency are a pleasure to deal with in every way. |
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