posted 04-05-2022 02:42 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Spacehardware:
Are we all happy with this lot, the Cosmonaut SK-1 Vostok Suit Assembly Prototype?

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posted 04-07-2022 06:34 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Spacehardware:
Are we all happy with this lot, the Cosmonaut SK-1 Vostok Suit Assembly Prototype?

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As a comparison, I used the Gargain training SK-1 that was sold at Sotheby's during their first Soviet Space Sale. A colleague and I had the opportunity the night before the auction to lay the suit down, disassemble, inspect, and photograph it. I used this material as reference.

The boots are not Vostok boots but are Soviet high altitude boots which are different is design. The boots also exhibit what appears to be extensive water damage.

The orange coverlayer is mistakenly stated as being lavsan in the description. The lavsan material is a gray and tan variegated fabric weave used only for the load bearing suit restraint layer, not for the outer orange covelayer. The orange coverlayer is of the correct fabric type and design, but the newish quality of the undamaged areas of the coverlayer and the newish quality of the knife pocket may indicate the coverlayer was a new-build using original fabric.

A similar complete new-build SK-1 suit was made in the early 1990s for a Ringling Bros exhibit. Afterwards, the suit was acquired by the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, where I believe it is still on exhibit It was built to the original design, but was not original vintage parts. I have also see reference to other factory built display suits for museums.

Unfortunately this coverlayer has also been exposed to what appears to be water damage (staining and fading) and unfortunately, the description mentions mold. So the black residue on the coverlayer may be mold. The coverlayer front zipper appears to be broken and pulled apart.

The restraint layer (the actual suit body) is not Vostok. It appears to be something put together to hold the coverlayer. The restraint layer (suit body) is not made from lavsan but is made from green fabric. The torso restraint cables (from the limited photos) is not correct for a Vostok SK-1 suit.

The gloves are reproductions using the wrong type of fabric. Additionally, the wrist rings for the glove side and the suit sleeve side are swapped and are of newer design. The suit-side wrist ring is attached to the sleeve using rope instead of steel cables with securing clamps.

I find it strange that the most important item, the helmet, is not photographed from the front. It is rather odd that there are a lot of detail photos of suit pockets but none of the front of the helmet. The description mentions thermal damage to the helmet, but the only photos of the faceplate are small with no details. It is difficult to see what the damage is and how extensive it is. Better photos of the helmet would help to determine if it is an original helmet or a factory reproduction for display.

The coupling on the hose sticking up by the helmet is a cast metal copy and does not contain any of the machined locking mechanism of an original part. Further there is a threaded hold in the center which may mean an accompanying hole was drilled thru the helmet valve.

The suit does not appear to contain a pressure bladder, but it is difficult to tell from the photos.

posted 04-07-2022 08:32 PM               

For Apollo 16, most of the Robbins I had (still have two of them) were not numbered nor had the reverse dates added. But another did have both and with a higher number.

Those unusual medals for both Apollo 11 and Apollo 16 can be explained to my satisfaction, but this one by Young is in a different category unlike the others.

There are still a few unanswered questions that I've had for a long time, however, if any proposed "flown" Robbins medal – even if owned by a veteran Apollo astronaut such as Schirra – isn't numbered should cause alarm, but yet on the other hand, on its reverse side did contain all the engravings.

Was perhaps one of the medals missed in their numbering process? Just maybe, but to me, it would seem highly unlikely that such an error would not had been corrected at the time.

Yet Young's Apollo 16 Robbins medal did in fact contain all the engravings on back, but with no number.

posted 04-11-2022 10:47 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by DG27:
It is difficult to see what the damage is and how extensive it is.

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posted 04-11-2022 12:33 PM               

>I>Flown Apollo Robbins Sterling Silver Medallion Set. Apollo 7 through 17 medallions, each flown on their respective missions. Sizes vary from approx. 1 to 1.5 in. The Apollo 8 to 17 medallions were given to Wally Schirra by the crew from each of those flights. Each have mission dates engraved on the reverse side. [With:] Typed letter signed by Schirra listing all serial numbers with the Apollo 16 having no number. (12)

Based upon information from the Space Flown Artifacts website, only one of the medals (Apollo 10, #52) from the Heritage sale has reappeared at auction. Heritage described the Apollo 16 medal that I purchased as being from the original set sold by Christie's in 1999 and it was accompanied by Schirra's COA. The chain of custody for this un-numbered Apollo 16 medal is Schirra-Belasco-me. The RR Auction marks the second time in almost 13 years that a medal from the Christie's sale has appeared at public auction and the third time for this particular medal.

Post Christie's Sales of the Robbins Medals from lot #90

• Apollo 7, Medal #87, Sold by Heritage April 18, 2013
  
• Apollo 8, Medal #294, Sold by Heritage April 18, 2013
  
• Apollo 9, Medal #260, Sold by Heritage April 18, 2013
  
• Apollo 10, Medal #52, Sold by Heritage April 18, 2013, resold by Stacks Bowers on August 7, 2020
  
• Apollo 11, Medal #416, Sold by Heritage April 18, 2013
  
• Apollo 12, Medal #206, Sold by Heritage April 18,2013
  
• Apollo 13, Medal #348, Sold by Heritage April 18, 2013
  
• Apollo 14, Medal #298, Sold by Heritage April 18, 2013
  
• Apollo 15, Medal #273, Sold by Heritage April 18, 2013.
  
• Apollo 16, Medal # No #, Sold by Heritage April 18, 2013.
  
• Apollo 17, Medal #232, Sold by Heritage April 18, 2013.

Please note: Schirra declared that this was a flown medallion. More recent scholarship on these medals has shown that wasn't the case.

In the consignment notes that I gave to RR I did write this about the Apollo 16 Robbins medal:

Within the suite, four of the medals are flown (GT-3, GT-10, A-10, and STS-9) The Robbins medal for Apollo 16 might be flown but other than Wally Schirra's assertion that each commander gave him a flown medal the collecting community is of the opinion that if a Robbins medal from Apollo 16 is un-numbered it was not flown.

posted 04-11-2022 11:28 PM               

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Originally posted by SpaceAholic:
RR has uploaded additional images of the helmet...

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