Posts: 982
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014

posted 04-24-2020 03:14 PM               

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The American Space Museum is having an autographed item auction we are calling our "Signature Sale." This auction will only feature items that have been hand signed by NASA notables or astronauts.

We have covers, photographs, books, models, artwork and hardware all hand signed. With autographs ranging from the Operation Paperclip engineers all the way to the end of the Space Shuttle program with everything in between.

If you would like to consign to this amazing sale scheduled for the end of June please email.

Posts: 9
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: May 2019

Posts: 982
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014

Posts: 982
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014

posted 05-30-2020 08:00 PM               

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Thank you to everyone who consigned to our next auction. The Signature Sale will go live online Monday, June 1st.

We are now taking consignments to our August auction.

Posts: 982
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014

Posts: 982
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014

posted 06-04-2020 04:27 AM               

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I have had several emails about lot 73. I was not aware that there is a printed version of this cover with an exact match of the captain's signature.

I want to be very clear that if there is an exact printed cover that matches this one that this cover is the hand signed original. The captain's signature on this cover is 100% hand signed and original.

I hope this helps confirm the authenticity of the signature on this cover.

Posts: 44146
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

Posts: 320
From: Michigan
Registered: Mar 2012

Posts: 982
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014

posted 06-04-2020 02:35 PM               

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For the record I always listen to the opinions of collectSPACE Members.

In this case we are dealing with the original hand signed cover that all of the printed ones are made from.

This was signed with ballpoint pen, it has an indent for the entire signature, it was signed with enough pressure to emboss through to the back of the cover where you can feel the signature on the back.

Not only can you see the signature is on the paper and not printed you can feel the signature.

I will personally guarantee this cover and I will not listen to any opinion on this item unless you come see it in person.

It is hand signed! I do not know what else I can say.

Posts: 320
From: Michigan
Registered: Mar 2012

posted 06-04-2020 03:27 PM               

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Chuck, thanks for providing more details on the cachet. Would be interesting to hear if anyone else has seen a signed version.

The ones I have in hand also have the "embossed" feel through the back of the envelope, with each one varying slightly depending on the pressure applied during the process. I'm unsure of the actual term for it ('printing' may be a misleading word) but this was the nature of the cachet application.

Posts: 982
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014

Posts: 15
From: Tobermory, Argyll, Scotland
Registered: Jan 2019

posted 06-04-2020 06:51 PM               

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This may actually be the opposite of "embossed." It seems more likely the signature (if not real) has been indented by the printing process (there's no good antonym for "emboss") and so can be felt.

It might be instructive to know whether the rest of the design on the cover can also be felt from behind to the same degree. The fall of the light in the photograph certainly suggests there is depth to the whole design. I suspect the question of live ink will only be settled by an in-hand examination.

Posts: 982
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014

posted 06-13-2020 06:10 AM               

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There is just two more week until the Signature Auction.

Unfortunately the museum has not yet reopened due to Covid and there will be no live event at the museum. This auction again will be online only and is listed on multiple platforms: Invaluable, Auction.zip and Live Auctioneers.

Please attend and help keep the museum going during this difficult time.

Posts: 177
From: Michigan, USA
Registered: Nov 2002

Posts: 982
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014

Posts: 2199
From: McKinney TX (USA)
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 06-13-2020 08:30 PM               

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Holy cow! Lot #88 (P.K. Chapman signed litho) is up to $550 already!

I don't think I have seen one of those sell for over $100-150 ever, usually in the $75 range.

Posts: 182
From: Rocky Point, NY, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

Posts: 15
From: Tobermory, Argyll, Scotland
Registered: Jan 2019

Posts: 177
From: Michigan, USA
Registered: Nov 2002

Posts: 3038
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 06-27-2020 07:08 PM               

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Keep in mind the a Grissom signed MR-4 SCC/Swanson cover is as rare as it gets!

This was one of four that I owned throughout the last five decades. In order to complete a crew signed manned space flight cover collection from 1961 to present, MR-4 would be at the top of the list, along with Grissom's first manned Gemini flight with John Young in 1965.

Altogether, I would bet to say, that only a limited handful of Grissom-signed Liberty Bell 7 flight covers are out there. How many, I am not sure, but I would estimate the number not even over 20 or so, and perhaps lower.

This classic autograph cover featured in the American Space Museum auction this afternoon, signed in a blue ink ball-point pen by "Virgil I. Grissom," while the pioneer-veteran Mercury/Gemini/and early Apollo astronaut was at Patrick AFB, FL, in the Fall of 1961 right after his sub-orbital space feat. It just can't get any better than this, folks.

Posts: 982
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014

posted 06-27-2020 07:32 PM               

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Ken knows the culture of space collecting and as he stated the GT-4 signed photograph yielded similar results to the cover. Some missions were overlooked on signed items and MR-4 and GT-3 are two that are must have to complete for a true collection.

The auction was a huge success and THANK YOU to everyone who made it another great fundraiser for the museum.

Posts: 434
From: San Antonio TX, USA
Registered: Apr 2004

Posts: 434
From: San Antonio TX, USA
Registered: Apr 2004

posted 06-27-2020 09:14 PM               

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I just searched through RR Auctions' archive, and found only three green MR-4 Swanson signed covers listed. The last one was in November 2013. Before that, they had one in September 2011, and the one I bought in September 2009.

They also had a signed SpaceCraft MR-4 cover in January 2011, and two uncacheted plain Mercury FDCs signed by Grissom over the last 12 years.

Looking at Heritage's archives, I find only one Grissom-signed Mercury cover (non-Swanson) going back to 2002.

I don't know about any other auctions where a MR-4 Grissom-signed cover may have appeared, but judging just by Heritage and RR, Ken's estimate above appears accurate. It looks like the covers that exist, all have happy homes.

Posts: 1765
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 06-28-2020 09:46 AM               

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ken Havekotte:
In order to complete a crew signed manned space flight cover collection from 1961 to present, MR-4 would be at the top of the list, along with Grissom's first manned Gemini flight with John Young in 1965.

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I agree with Ken that a Grissom signed Swanson MR-4 cover is extremely rare and the $2,500 paid for this one is surely appropriate.

Ken also mentions about a Grissom signed MR-4 Swanson cover being a key part of a crew signed cover collection of all the US space flights — 167 now after DM-2. While Grissom MR-4 covers can be found, I can't think of anything in the space autograph hobby more difficult and challenging than assembling a complete US spaceflight crew signed cover collection!

Many have tried; many have given up.

Actually a combination crew signed cover and crew signed crew litho set would be more doable.

Posts: 182
From: Rocky Point, NY, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

posted 06-28-2020 12:40 PM               

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I have two MR-4 Swanson covers. One of the green ones signed by Gus Grissom (Regency, 2015) and a purple rubber stamped one that is signed by Gus Grissom and Wernher von Braun. I also have a Beck "Crew" U.S. Navy Recovery Force cover for GT-3 that is signed by both Grissom and Young. It has a cancellation from the the U.S.S. John Paul Jones.

It took me a little over 10 years to gather signed covers for all of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo flights. And I concur with those who have mentioned the difficulty of procuring MR-4 and GT-3 covers. For me, within the MGA covers, the hardest cover to locate was a crew signed GT-8 cover.

This auction was special for me as I was able to snag the crew signed STS-9 cover. The cover was important to me as it completed a project I started a number of years ago to create a John Young suite of a medallion/medal, patch, and signed crew cover from all six of his flights. Until I started looking for one, I never realized just how difficult it would be to locate a cover from STS-9. The full crew signed STS-9 cover was the first I can recall ever seeing come up for auction so I just had to have it, although, admittedly, I was struggling to decide to pull the trigger if it went any higher.

Posts: 48
From: Scotland
Registered: Oct 2017

posted 06-28-2020 03:15 PM               

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Congrats on the STS-9 cover! I was bidding against you on that it seems, but got the impression I was going to lose regardless of how high I bid... just one more bid, eh!

I hope you enjoy it! Was sorry to have to lose it, but glad it's going to good home! Best of luck completing the John Young project. I'm sure it’ll look phenomenal.

Posts: 182
From: Rocky Point, NY, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

Posts: 48
From: Scotland
Registered: Oct 2017

posted 06-28-2020 04:19 PM               

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It's all part of this great hobby!

I’d appreciate that! Maybe as a consolation prize you could let me see it as part of the display?!

Posts: 182
From: Rocky Point, NY, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

Posts: 434
From: San Antonio TX, USA
Registered: Apr 2004

posted 06-28-2020 05:07 PM               

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quote:

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Originally posted by Bob M:
I can't think of anything in the space autograph hobby more difficult and challenging than assembling a complete US spaceflight crew signed cover collection!

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Bob, are you talking about a collection including covers signed by each flown astronaut (each astronaut once, regardless of number of flights), or a collection where each and every launch cover is signed by each and every crew member (Young - 6 times; Schirra - 3 times; Armstrong - 2 times; etc.)?

I'm still trying to finish my collection of signed covers, with at least one signature of each astronaut overall (each astronaut once); and still need 30 space shuttle astronauts (all from STS-75 - STS-135). Sure, I do have multiple signatures from certain astronauts, as that is unavoidable; but I don't go out of my way to get multiples. For instance, I have a Grissom-signed MR-4 cover, and a Young-signed A-16 cover, so I'm not looking for a GT-3 cover. I have every astronaut who flew before STS-75, including M-G-A and all the X-15 pilots/astronauts. I can't even imagine going after a master/comprehensive collection of each/every cover signed by each/every crew member!

Posts: 3038
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 06-28-2020 06:14 PM               

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I know Bob has been working on a long-time collection of individual astronaut signed covers from Mercury to Shuttle, as I have as well, but I am still missing several of the later astronauts on appropriate space cover themes.

But if I recall, I think Bob's collection is near such a completion, if not already. But of course, besides US space fliers, you also have cosmonauts and other international space fliers to consider, and I think Bob was working in that category as well.

Concerning only crew signed flight covers, though, one of my main collections does contain appropriate Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spaceflight missions in full, however, I am currently seeking a GT-3 that I would feel more comfortable with.

So I do have all the first 31 US space crews on the very best space covers possible, in my opinion. Beyond that, I am still trying to assemble a space shuttle crew signed cover collection since there are so many flights (135) from 1981 - 2011, and with mostly mission crew emblem covers if possible.

The shuttle collection in that area does lack appropriate crew covers, but I do have the first 50 or so shuttle crews along with dozens more of the later flights here and there, but not complete at this time.

It's also extremely difficult in locating a Shuttle 51L crew signed emblem cover with all 7 signatures together. Those that I have for the tragedy lack Jarvis.

Collecting crew signed photos is another popular area with many space enthusiasts and collectors. Speaking just for myself, though, I do have nearly a full set of all shuttle crews on their official NASA glossies or lithos.

The same can also be said for the Gemini and Apollo crews, however, I am still lacking a good GT-3, GT-8 (that I did have before) and GT-10, if I recall, as I wasn't completely satisfied with the signed photo that I had years ago.

Posts: 1765
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 06-29-2020 09:30 AM               

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First, congratulations, Paul, on completing your John Young collection. It would have been hard to have chosen a more difficult astronaut to specialize in, but one of the most interesting.

And, Steve, I was referring only to crew signed covers for the US flights, but individual astronaut signed covers are likewise quite a challenge. And your collecting approach is an interesting and good long-range way to collect astronaut autographs. You've had good success, but as we progress with such a collection, we run into the minority of astronauts who are not receptive to signing, which makes things frustrating and more than challenging.

I had the advantage of being an active collector during the entire Shuttle era (STS-1 thru STS-135), with the majority of shuttle crews and individual astronauts receptive with autograph requests through the mail, as the majority of what I have resulted from. But also help from other collectors, auctions and trades helped fill in the gaps.