Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-24-2017 09:56 AM
RR Auction release
Space Exploration Auction Featuring the Bill Lende Collection
When Bill Lende invented the aftermarket air conditioner for the Volkswagen Beetle in 1969, he probably didn't expect one of his first takers would be an astronaut.
But that's exactly what happened when Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, drove his personal vehicle to San Antonio, Texas, in 1970 to have Lende's newly invented HEATRANSFER air conditioner unit added to his Beetle. As a thank-you, Aldrin gifted him with a large image of himself on the moon.
Thus began a love affair with all things space for Lende. Already a collector of letters written by inventors and scientists – Lende himself being a respected inventor, engineer and eventual philanthropist and land steward – he would go on to amass an impressive collection of aerospace memorabilia.
This historical collection will now be proudly shared with you by RR Auction, Nov. 9-16.
A longtime client and friend of RR Auction, the Lende family has entrusted RR Auction to present to the public his beloved space exploration collection of personal correspondences, autographed photos, official memos and more. The extensive collection documents – in an intimate, first-person manner – the United States' journey from terra firma to the heavens. Proceeds from this auction will benefit Lende's nonprofit Cibolo Preserve in Boerne, Texas.
Three key documents featured in the auction include a 1963 letter written by Neil Armstrong on "the space effort impact on the world of the future"; a shocking letter from Wernher von Braun, written in 1969 two weeks after the lunar landing, where he reveals his past: "I was a member of Hitler's elite SS Corps"; and a 1964 letter from Gene Cernan, where he poetically muses "It is more than just a dream of adventure; it is an opportunity to know what is unknown – what is not today even conceived in our finite minds."
In addition to the Lende collection, we're including several rare and remarkable standouts. The first is Buzz Aldrin's Apollo 11 Cartier solid gold lunar module replica – one of only three made by the jewelry giant, honoring the first men on the moon. The exquisite workmanship on this 18-karat gold LM Eagle model makes it not only an incredible space exploration collectible, but a work of art to display.
Also included is an extraordinary flown American flag carried on the Apollo 11 mission, signed by the entire crew. Of the few fully signed Apollo 11 flown flag presentations we have encountered, this is the only example to boast the additional inscription by Buzz Aldrin on the flag itself.
We are also featuring the rarest Apollo-flown Robbins medallion, the historic sterling silver Apollo 17 Robbins medal in mint condition. One of the most sought-after and difficult-to-obtain of all the Apollo flown medals, as only 80 were flown on man's final voyage to the moon – the fewest carried on any Apollo mission.
Posts: 731 From: Upstate New York, USA Registered: Mar 2001
posted 10-25-2017 09:40 AM
The Lende collecton is something else; it was a real pleasure to review. Mr. Lende was a discriminating collector with great taste. The letters in particular are outstanding.
Ken Havekotte Member
Posts: 2915 From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard Registered: Mar 2001
posted 10-25-2017 03:42 PM
Indeed, Steve, as there are some great astronaut-content letters from the Lende collection. There are some remarkable letters by von Braun, Collins, Aldrin, Cernan, Scott, Duke, White, Roosa, and the solid gold LM given to Aldrin is priceless! I was even surprised to see some of my own earlier artifacts in the collection that had been sold or traded away.
rgarner Member
Posts: 1193 From: Shepperton, United Kingdom Registered: Mar 2012
posted 10-25-2017 03:46 PM
The solid gold LM may draw a lot of attention, especially given the theft of one recently. I wouldn't be surprised if a news outlet or two wrote a story on it.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
A solid gold model of NASA's Apollo lunar module is now up for auction, as one of the only two others in existence remains missing after a museum heist.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin's gold scale model of the spacecraft that he and Neil Armstrong piloted to the first moon landing in July 1969, promptly exceeded its opening bid of $10,000 at RR Auction's space memorabilia sale on Thursday (Nov. 9). The Boston-based firm expects that the Cartier-crafted model will command $150,000 or more by the close of the auction on Nov. 16.
dfox Member
Posts: 208 From: Scarsdale, NY, United States Registered: Mar 2010
posted 11-10-2017 01:13 PM
The "S-Band" antenna is missing. I'll pass on this one.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-10-2017 01:52 PM
The S-Band antenna can be restored, as noted in the lot description:
Cartier has expressed a willingness to restore this piece in their Paris facility at the buyer’s expense.
damnyankee36 Member
Posts: 37 From: Alamogordo, NM USA Registered: Aug 2017
posted 11-10-2017 02:45 PM
I always thought the models were similar to the current stainless steel kits you can buy. The parts are made of thin sheets that are bent into the shape of the particular model being built.
That said, these are really solid? Almost seems too heavy for the legs to support the that kind of weight.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-10-2017 02:57 PM
The model has nearly 2 pounds (846 grams) of 18 karat gold, much more massive than the Metal Earth model.
spaced out Member
Posts: 3110 From: Paris, France Registered: Aug 2003
posted 11-11-2017 04:06 AM
I imagine it's plated with gold rather than solid. It would weigh a lot more than 846 grams if the descent and ascent main bodies were solid gold.
SpaceSteve Member
Posts: 428 From: San Antonio TX, USA Registered: Apr 2004
posted 11-12-2017 02:49 AM
Here's my take:
Basically, it's 18-karat gold, meaning it's 75% pure gold. It's hollow.
All the metal in it is the gold alloy, as opposed to gold plated whatever-other-metal; except for the possible inclusion of non-gold support elements in the struts, and maybe some other things where I seem to see silver - and maybe clear windows?
Also, 846 grams equals 27.2 troy ounces.
spaced out Member
Posts: 3110 From: Paris, France Registered: Aug 2003
posted 11-12-2017 03:21 AM
Steve, indeed, you're probably right.
BLivingston Member
Posts: 60 From: Boston,Ma. USA Registered: Jan 2010
posted 11-15-2017 01:19 PM
We have added a video depicting each page of Dave Scott's ring-bound flown CSM Systems Data manual. On the inside, front cover is a NSFW image that represented a payback from the backup crew due to the similar practical joke by Dave Scott played on the crew of Apollo 12.
thisismills Member
Posts: 263 From: Michigan Registered: Mar 2012
posted 11-15-2017 02:59 PM
quote:Originally posted by BLivingston: On the inside, front cover is a NSFW image...
That would be a photo of Barbara Hillary, Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month, April 1970.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-16-2017 08:42 PM
The Boston-based firm expects that the Cartier-crafted model will command $150,000 or more by the close of the auction on Nov. 16.
The pre-auction estimate ended up being just $139 short: the Cartier lunar module sold for $149,861 (with buyer's premium).
Also impressive, the Apollo 11 crew-signed flown flag sold for $120,693 (with premium).
capoetc Member
Posts: 2169 From: McKinney TX (USA) Registered: Aug 2005
posted 11-17-2017 06:05 AM
An Alan Bean "In the Beginning" Artist's Proof litho sold for $5,203, which seems unusually strong.
denali414 Member
Posts: 593 From: Raleigh, NC Registered: Aug 2017
posted 11-17-2017 10:30 AM
The flown Apollo 17 Robbins medallion selling for $36,668 (with premium) is also pretty good and it seems the Robbins market is stabilizing.