Posts: 4167
From: England
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posted 12-09-2014 12:04 PM               

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Last weekend's (Dec. 7, 2014) Antiques Roadshow featured the son of the ITN space editor, Peter Fairley. He was having several signed items appraised by the expert including a large Aldrin visor photo inscribed to Peter by Armstrong and signed by the whole Apollo 11 crew.

Did anybody else notice the image was printed back to front?!

I know this is of little use to our American friends but UK residents can watch the program on BBC iPlayer. The piece appears approximately half way through the episode.

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posted 12-10-2014 12:56 AM               

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It was a most interesting snippet. Back in the Apollo days I used to be in regular touch with Peter as he was one of the recipients of my US Embassy produced space booklets.

Because of this I am the proud owner of a very limited edition tie that Peter had made for the ITN crew that covered the Apollo 15 mission.

And what about the item that followed this - the special version of the Rolex watch made especially for the SBS?

Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 12-10-2014 03:19 AM               

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The image was in portrait format; it works equally well in both portrait and landscape to my mind. But the horizon sloped from left down to the right and the suit patches were on opposite sides of the suit and back to front.

They also showed Peter Fairley stood in front of a shrouded Saturn V... according to his son. I am "fairley" sure it was not a Saturn V.

Interesting pieces all the same and apparently only the tip of the collection. I know Peter was close personal friends with several astronauts, most notably Dick Gordon, so it stands to reason he would have accumulated a pretty impressive collection of material.

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Posts: 4167
From: England
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Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 12-01-2015 05:54 PM               

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Did any UK member see last weekend's (Nov. 29, 2015) Antiques Roadshow? Catch it on iplayer if you missed it.

Late in the show was one chap who brought a couple of signed pieces that had belonged to his deceased son. They included an Apollo 11 crew signed litho.

The inference of the piece was that because the son had written to NASA the autographs must be real. The camera did not afford the viewer a long close up of the signatures but while the sketch signed by Deke Slayton looked okay, the crew litho looked like an autopen to me.

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From: U.K.
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posted 12-02-2015 12:43 AM               

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Thought he brought in three pieces - a photo of his son signed on the reverse by Aldrin, the litho and the Slayton signed sketch. Like Rick, it is the litho that raises the most concerns with me.

As I've mentioned before about the AR Show, the 'experts' are only expert for a given definition of expert.

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From: England
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posted 12-02-2015 03:22 AM               

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Apologies Eddie. I forgot about the photo of his son, signed on the back by Buzz.

I suspect the expert on Sunday last was one of their "Miscellaneous" experts. Jack of all trades but master of none may be a bit harsh but you get my drift.

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From: Paris, France
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posted 12-02-2015 01:49 PM               

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I've just watched the clip. The Apollo 11 piece was signed with classic Autopens but was valued at £4,000 to £5,000. Very unfortunate.

I would imagine they'd be very embarrassed if they'd identified a replica vase worth £20 as a genuine £4-£5k original on the program. Personally I don't see why a space collectible should be any different.