Posts: 4945 From: Sierra Vista, Arizona Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-27-2021 09:22 PM
RR Auction has uploaded the catalog for its Fall 2021 space auction to its site and is open for bidding.
The sale ends on Oct 21, 2021.
Larry McGlynn Member
Posts: 1352 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
posted 10-01-2021 10:42 AM
I just was looking through the auction. A lot of interesting material. I have bid on a few items.
There is one lot that brings back a fond memory for me. That is lot #3433, the Apollo 17 EVA3 cuff checklist. I remember doing a video of Gene with the checklist in his office at his home in Houston back in 2011.
Also RR Auction has a video about the cuff checklist:
Jurvetson Member
Posts: 132 From: Los Altos an SF, CA, United States Registered: Sep 2011
posted 10-01-2021 07:08 PM
Love that one too Larry.
I consigned a gimbal actuator for the SPS engine to this RR Auction, and *after* the catalog went to print, Carlos at Norton Sales told me that it was used by the Star Wars Jawas. Sure enough, Mandalorian S1 E2 introduces Baby Yoda, and 13 minutes in they are negotiating for flown space artifacts.
The gimbal actuator is right there in several scenes, alas, in the hands of the most prolific space collectors in the Star Wars universe.
If we were Star Wars characters, we'd clearly be Jawas.
Many of the artifacts you see here are from Carlos's Norton Sales in Hollywood. They obtained a bunch of material directly from Rocketdyne 50 years ago as a reward for returning some gold bricks they accidentally picked up in a pallet purchase at a surplus auction as Apollo was winding down.
Norton Sales was in the business of lending the artifacts for movies, TV and music videos and refused to sell their gems. Well, after 8 years of negotiation, I finally purchased the early Apollo CSM SPS engine and some other items from the 50's and 60's that I have consigned in this auction.
Larry McGlynn Member
Posts: 1352 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
posted 10-02-2021 06:49 PM
Steve, Norton Sales itself was on a TV series. I have a captured still from "Space Dealers." It shows Cole and me in front of Norton Sales just before we entered the store. I call it "High Noon at Norton's."
There was great stuff in that place.
Rick Mulheirn Member
Posts: 4397 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
posted 10-03-2021 04:09 AM
It is great to see Gene again in the checklist video.
I’m glad you told us Larry that that was you with Cole outside Norton’s. For a moment there I mistook you for the “new” James Bond!
Chuckster01 Member
Posts: 1050 From: Orlando, FL Registered: Jan 2014
posted 10-03-2021 08:00 AM
I see the Apollo boots that were also featured in the Space Dealers show.
A lot of great items in this auction.
Larry McGlynn Member
Posts: 1352 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
posted 10-03-2021 11:02 AM
Rick, I was hoping for the Gary Cooper look, but I could knot find a string tie in LA.
And if you think I look like James Bond, then who am I to judge your sanity.
Let's now bring ourselves back on topic. Anything at the auction that is floating anyone's boat?
Rick Mulheirn Member
Posts: 4397 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
posted 10-03-2021 01:39 PM
The boots referred to were apparently ruled inappropriate following the fire as they did not meet updated fire safety regs post fire.
Yet the date of manufacture is December 1970. Can anybody explain the inconsistency?
For the record, there is nothing wrong my sanity Larry. As for my eyesight...!?!?
Jurvetson Member
Posts: 132 From: Los Altos an SF, CA, United States Registered: Sep 2011
posted 10-03-2021 04:49 PM
Larry - I am bidding on 16 items... so much goodness!
I consigned a meteorite, EC 002, the oldest protoplanet material ever found, long before Earth. It is comprised of crystals upon crystals, so I decided to look at a vesicle with a 5x microscope lens. It's crystals all the way down:
Tallpaul Member
Posts: 207 From: Rocky Point, NY, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 10-03-2021 06:55 PM
That EC 002 meteorite slice would be a nice fit in my small collection of chondrites.
Chuckster01 Member
Posts: 1050 From: Orlando, FL Registered: Jan 2014
posted 10-04-2021 02:59 PM
I spoke to Walt Cunningham about the Apollo 1 boots. He stated these were made in 1966 and were in his closet from the time of the fire in 1967 until he sold them. The date printed on the boot is beyond his explanation.
Not only that but I was thinking why would NASA produce a leather coverall boot in 1970? This is a mystery to me.
SpaceAholic Member
Posts: 4945 From: Sierra Vista, Arizona Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-04-2021 03:26 PM
After further reviewing the "boots", have concluded Cunningham's certification is not correct. The most probable rationale for the existence of these leather shoes, with date stamp as produced under the associated contract is that they were prototyped inflight slippers for Skylab. I will ask RR to either amend or retract the lot in consultation with the current consignor.
MartinAir Member
Posts: 119 From: Registered: Oct 2020
posted 10-04-2021 03:58 PM
I was thinking the same. Since Walt worked on the Skylab project, the Apollo boots might have been considered for the spacestation use as well. The Skylab crews ended up wearing the Converse sneakers.
Just watched the Space Dealers EP1. That was thrilling and fantastic. What a great community!
Rick Mulheirn Member
Posts: 4397 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
posted 10-04-2021 05:07 PM
Skylab is the only likely planned use for the boots. If Walt had owned the boots until he sold them that is the only possible explanation for the manufacture date.
Rick Mulheirn Member
Posts: 4397 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
posted 10-14-2021 02:58 PM
I noticed the Fred Haise flown Snoopy pin (lot # 3313) continues to propagate the mistaken belief that such Apollo flown pins were routinely gifted to NASA employees, contractors and such. The reality as disclosed by Larry McGlynn not so long ago is that only 100 or so Snoopy pins were flown in total on all of the Apollo flights: 30 of those were carried by Freddo.
I’m surprised RR have not included this “revelation” in the listing as it would surely add to the pins desirability.
Jurvetson Member
Posts: 132 From: Los Altos an SF, CA, United States Registered: Sep 2011
posted 10-18-2021 02:00 PM
The mysteries of value. I have a few items consigned in this auction, and it always perplexes me when a signed photo is worth more than a signed space-flown artifact.
Posts: 3323 From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard Registered: Mar 2001
posted 10-18-2021 02:43 PM
Actually, the flown fully-intact STS-86 TPS-insulation blanket was one of my own many years ago. It was part of a series of flown OV-104 blankets, some of which, I still have of different shapes and sizes.
But STS-86 was not the final mission of Orbiter Atlantis as described in the RR auction. STS-135 was the final flight of the entire shuttle program with 104, some 14 years after STS-86 flew in 1997.
SpaceAholic Member
Posts: 4945 From: Sierra Vista, Arizona Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-18-2021 04:28 PM
RR quoted Goldberg's 2014 description that the "blanket was flown on the final flight of Atlantis." Parentheses probably should have been added to make that clearer.
randyc Member
Posts: 821 From: Denver, CO USA Registered: May 2003
posted 10-18-2021 08:37 PM
Even more surprising, to me at least, is when unsigned, red number photographs sell for more than items that have been taken to the lunar surface in the Lunar Module and are embedded with lunar dust, such as checklist pages, cue cards and equipment.
I'm really surprised when some red number photographs sell for more than items that were outside the Lunar Module and embedded with lunar dust.
Not only are these items extremely limited they were also used during the conduct of the mission.
Jurvetson Member
Posts: 132 From: Los Altos an SF, CA, United States Registered: Sep 2011
posted 10-18-2021 08:39 PM
Thanks Ken. Really appreciate the detail. So did it fly on STS-86 up through STS-135?
Ken Havekotte Member
Posts: 3323 From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard Registered: Mar 2001
posted 10-18-2021 11:51 PM
For a better clarification, Steve, as I meant to say the thermal blanket referred to last flew on Atlantis (Mission STS-86), launched to the MIR space station on Sept. 25, 1997, but never flew again once the blanket had been removed from Orbiter #104 in April 1998 while at KSC for next shuttle flight preparation of Atlantis.
Not that it matters at all in this topic conversation, but this particular TCS Beta-Polymide film blanket on Mission STS-86 completed 170 Earth orbits after travelling over 4.2 million miles with a mission duration of nearly 11 days in space.
Solarplexus Member
Posts: 120 From: Norway Registered: Jan 2014
posted 10-20-2021 08:49 AM
Interesting with Lot #3653 the V-2 rocket nosecone (not mine). Can't that be considered as the first man made object in space? If I isn't much mistaken it was a similar nosecone that burst trough the border of space in 1944 on a V-2 test flight.
Jurvetson Member
Posts: 132 From: Los Altos an SF, CA, United States Registered: Sep 2011
posted 10-22-2021 08:50 AM
Some exciting bidding! Cuff checklist went for $750K. I am most excited about picking up the Sputnik-1. Will look awesome hanging from the rafters at work. I just need to add the machine that goes ping!
Larry McGlynn Member
Posts: 1352 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
posted 10-22-2021 09:49 AM
It was a nice auction. I sold some pieces and bought a couple of small token objects that fit into the collection.
That cuff checklist lot was amazing to watch. The buyer got the cuff checklist with best story and provenance that is available in the private market.
Spacehardware Member
Posts: 132 From: Durley Registered: Jan 2008
posted 10-22-2021 10:14 AM
quote:Originally posted by Jurvetson: I just need to add the machine that goes ping!
May want to check out Auction Team Breker and lot 256 of their Science & Technology/Mechanical Music/Fairground Auction, Nov 6, 2021 in Cologne, Germany. I think it goes ping...
denali414 Member
Posts: 801 From: Raleigh, NC Registered: Aug 2017
posted 10-22-2021 11:44 AM
Wow! some big prices. The V-2 nosecone just kept going up. Those Raytheon mission analyzer wheels shocking price. Almost bought one two years ago for $150 on eBay... blew that.
Jurvetson Member
Posts: 132 From: Los Altos an SF, CA, United States Registered: Sep 2011
posted 10-22-2021 12:47 PM
quote:Originally posted by Spacehardware: I think it goes ping...
Thanks. Only four space artifacts in that Breker auction... but the complete Kholod caught my eye. I have just an engine from it, and it's a beauty.
spaced out Member
Posts: 3176 From: Paris, France Registered: Aug 2003
posted 10-23-2021 04:25 AM
A couple of signed item prices stood out to me:
A Swigert WSS SP at $6,600 — extremely rare and sought-after, but I'm thinking this is a new record.
First on the Moon signed by the crew and Duke at $41,721 — someone found a nice Armstrong signed copy and added Aldrin, Collins and Duke for a few hundred each at signings. It's nice, but I don't know why something that would normally have sold for maybe $3k to $5k has gone for $41k!
Mike Dixon Member
Posts: 1574 From: Kew, Victoria, Australia Registered: May 2003
posted 10-23-2021 05:10 AM
Some very well heeled folks out there...
Larry McGlynn Member
Posts: 1352 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
posted 10-23-2021 12:10 PM
That "First Man on the Moon" book looks like an example of a Peachstate Historical Consulting type of project. There are three of examples of that type of crew signing on the Spacerelics website. I am not saying this is a Peachstate example, but someone took the hint and produced this one. The market is hot.
MartinAir Member
Posts: 119 From: Registered: Oct 2020
posted 10-24-2021 11:01 AM
Larry, it seems like paper based relics (i.e. photos, books) are hot...
SkyMan1958 Member
Posts: 1119 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011
posted 10-24-2021 11:46 AM
A friend of mine is a VP at Sotheby's. In talking with him last year, and I'm assuming it's carrying on to this year, he said that the low to mid range items, e.g. $5,000 to $600,000 items, that are relatively small, are flying out the door.
People that are able to collect are stuck at home, or semi-stuck at home nowadays, and can't spend their money on many other things they commonly would do so, such as traveling, going to fine dining, etc. So, these collectors feel perfectly comfortable dropping what for them is relatively safe amounts of money on items they can hold in their hands or easily view.
Jurvetson Member
Posts: 132 From: Los Altos an SF, CA, United States Registered: Sep 2011
posted 10-28-2021 07:03 PM
So, what you're saying is... I won't face much competition for that Kholod?
Larry McGlynn Member
Posts: 1352 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
posted 10-29-2021 04:21 AM
Steve, the only competition you will have is trying to get it into the country easily. Beware the men in dark suits and sunglasses.
SkyMan1958 Member
Posts: 1119 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011
posted 10-29-2021 10:39 AM
Actually there was a guy who lived up in the hills near me who was a serious collector of military equipment. He has since died and his collection has been sold off.
If you saw any movie created in the 1980 to 2010 time frame there was a 50/50 chance that the tanks, APCs, artillery, etc. was from his collection.
In the 1990's, with the collapse of the USSR, he wanted to be the first kid on his block with a Scud missile. He bought one from the Ukraine and got it to the USA without any problem. The problem occurred when it reached the docks in Long Beach. The little issue was that the Ukraine had shipped it with a live warhead, because why else would you want a Scud missile? Eventually the live warhead was switched out with a dummy warhead and the collector got his Scud missile.
MartinAir Member
Posts: 119 From: Registered: Oct 2020
posted 10-29-2021 03:12 PM
Putin doesn't want it back?
posted 09-27-2021 09:22 PM
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