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  Framed 1981 Columbia sketch and patches

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Author Topic:   Framed 1981 Columbia sketch and patches
rosieone
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posted 02-16-2012 10:59 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for rosieone   Click Here to Email rosieone     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
First time to this forum. I have an item that a friend gave me to sell that I am trying to find info on.

It is a framed NASA sketch in blue ink by (?) Shankles presented by Brad Ragan, Inc. The sketch is made up of pictures of Truly, Engle, Young, and Crippen, and the space shuttle. It has three patches on top of the sketch: Columbia Young-Crippen first flight April 12, 1981, Columbia Engle-Truly, and space shuttle. The following is printed on the bottom left side:

Congratulations NASA, Columbia and Crews — John W. Young and Robert L. Crippen, and Joe H. Engle and Richard H. Truly. You have reaffirmed America as the leader in space exploration and again focused the eyes of the world on our high technology. America has a rich heritage as a frontier nation and with the reusable space shuttle we have a practical system to reach out for the benefits of a vast new frontier. We can all be proud of this truly unique American achievement.
I would like to find out if these were massed produced or if possibly it was a memento given to the crew, etc. I would also like to know if it has any monetary value. Thank you in advance for any help you can give.

stsmithva
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From: Fairfax, VA, USA
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posted 02-16-2012 03:08 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for stsmithva   Click Here to Email stsmithva     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Welcome to collectSPACE. That item was mass produced (that is, it's a print, not original blue ink) but I don't know in what numbers. I bought an identical one on eBay a few months ago, but I can't help you with the value because mine came with a card hand-signed by all four crew members, which obviously drove up the price.

rosieone
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posted 02-16-2012 04:25 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for rosieone   Click Here to Email rosieone     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thank you for your reply. I would like to search for it on eBay. Could you give me the title or what they call it? Thanks in advance.

stsmithva
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posted 02-16-2012 06:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for stsmithva   Click Here to Email stsmithva     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I bought it at least six months ago, so I'm afraid it will no longer be available for viewing on eBay. Unless there is some way of doing that which someone else can post.

Rob Joyner
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posted 02-17-2012 01:01 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rob Joyner   Click Here to Email Rob Joyner     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This might be a print by an artist who usually goes by only 'Sharles' (first name William). Though he is known for brightly colored oils and also sculptures, it's possible he was commissioned to do this print back then.

Could it be only 81 of these prints were made? If you look below his name, under the left wing, it reads 12/81. Maybe print #12 of 81?

Steve, check yours to see if it has a different number than 12.

James Brown
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posted 02-17-2012 04:19 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for James Brown   Click Here to Email James Brown     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Mine also says 12/81. Probably the sketch date.

rosieone
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posted 02-17-2012 09:01 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for rosieone   Click Here to Email rosieone     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thank you everyone for your replies.

To Steve: I don't mean to get personal but could you tell me what you paid for the piece? I realize yours would be more valuable because of the signatures but at least it would give me a starting point.

Kevin T. Randall
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posted 02-17-2012 01:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Kevin T. Randall   Click Here to Email Kevin T. Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The framed item Steve won was Lot No.20064298804, sold for $212.50 with 17 bids from 6 bidders, on 28th August 2011.

Besides the print and the three mounted AB Emblem patches, the lot included one extra STS-1 patch, and a "clipped card with the original pen signatures of all four astronauts that participated in these two flights." That is the part of this lot which is worth the final price, that and the former owner was Paul E. Gilsdorf the vice president of sales and marketing for AB Emblem Co. who manufactured the patches. This presentation piece came from his estate.

All three patches that are part of this piece look to be first production run patches, the STS Program patch certainly is, because post ALT it was re-vamped and made slightly larger to what it is to-day. (The loose fourth STS-1 patch is the modern version of the original AB Emblem STS-1 patch). These print presentation pieces were probably produced at the end of November 1981, likely no more than 100 pieces.

The dates 12/81 refers to April 12th 1981 for the STS-1 flight, and November 12th 1981 for the STS-2 flight.

A second one of these framed items was listed on eBay on 1st September 2011 Lot No. 150657661695 (less the fourth patch and the signed card), for a Buy It Now of $299.00. Over the listing period of 30 days it was reduced to $99.00, $69.00, $49.99, $29.99, and finally sold for $19.99.

I think there was a third one of these items listed but I can't find a sale for it. Sorry, it was probably unsold.

rosieone
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posted 02-17-2012 01:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for rosieone   Click Here to Email rosieone     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thank you so much for the info. I will tell my friend. And thank you to all the other members who replied to this post. I appreciate your help.

stsmithva
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From: Fairfax, VA, USA
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posted 02-17-2012 05:29 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for stsmithva   Click Here to Email stsmithva     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Holy moley, Kevin, that is an amazing amount of detail! I just learned more about it than I learned in the seven months I've owned it!

(I bought it mostly for the card, since as amazing as STS-1 was, I am fascinated by the fact that the STS-2 was the first to fly a spacecraft that had already flown, and I've only seen a handful of items signed by all four crewmen. But the print and patch presentation is very nice too.)

Kevin T. Randall
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posted 02-18-2012 03:47 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Kevin T. Randall   Click Here to Email Kevin T. Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yes Steve, a list of nine crew signed and patch presentation pieces belonging to the estate of Paul E. Gilsdorf was put up for auction on eBay by an estate agent based in North Carolina called 'Fresh-from-estates-to-you' during August 2011. Most were one off unique pieces.

If you would like a full list of each of the presentation pieces, a description of each, and what they sold for, let me know.

One presentation piece was highlighted on a thread on this forum.

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