posted 07-16-2022 07:22 PM               

Sotheby's to auction Buzz Aldrin's Apollo 11 moon landing artifacts

You could call it a "magnificent disposition."

Adapted from Buzz Aldrin's words ("Magnificent desolation") when he became one of the first humans to walk on the moon 53 years ago this week, Sotheby's is set to offer artifacts from the Apollo 11 astronaut's personal collection, including items that were instrumental in the first lunar landing mission.

The "Buzz Aldrin: American Icon" sale will be held at Sotheby's New York City gallery beginning at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT) on Tuesday, July 26. An exhibition of the auction's lots will begin Thursday (July 21) through July 25.

posted 07-18-2022 11:58 AM               

Buzz Aldrin's Personal Collection to be Offered at Sotheby's In Landmark Auction Celebrating Life & Career of Legendary Astronaut

Featuring Space-Flown Artifacts from Gemini XII & Apollo 11 Missions Including Flight Jacket Worn to the Moon and Back

"This collection is a summation of my career as an astronaut, from my studies at West Point, to my first EVA during Gemini XII, to humankind's first lunar landing on Apollo 11 where we planted the American flag, and a bit beyond. After deep consideration, the time felt right to share these items with the world, which for many are symbols of a historical moment, but for me have always remained personal mementos of a life dedicated to science and exploration. From the jacket that I wore on my trip to the Moon and back, to the famous broken circuit breaker switch that nearly ended our lives, and the pen that saved us, to various artifacts we used to complete the mission, I hope that this collection offers some insight into what it has been like to be Buzz Aldrin." — Buzz Aldrin

"Buzz has always been a personal inspiration to me; not just for his incredible achievements during his distinguished career as an astronaut, but because of who he is as a person. This collection is the reflection of a man of incredible strength and drive, a man who has faced times of adversity with determination and perseverance, and who remained logical and level-headed, even in moments of great peril. We are incredibly honored to be able to bring to market the collection of this great American, and indeed, global icon, in a sale that represents the only chance to acquire artifacts of this caliber." — Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's Global Head of Science & Popular Culture

On 20 July, 1969, with Command Module Pilot Michael Collins orbiting the moon in Columbia, Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin and Mission Commander Neil Armstrong forever etched their names in history, becoming the first humans to step foot on the lunar surface. Viewed live by more than 600 million people around the world, Aldrin's iconic first steps on the moon will live on as a celebration of human courage and ingenuity in accomplishing the impossible, as well as the ability to escape the bonds of earth and to push the boundaries of the known universe.

In celebration of the singular achievements of a life dedicated to science and space exploration, Sotheby's will present Buzz Aldrin: American Icon on 26 July, the first auction to space-flown artifacts, personal items, and other objects from Aldrin's private collection consisting of mission flown artifacts retained by Aldrin after his Gemini XII and Apollo 11 missions, as well as training materials, and select items from his early career, to honors bestowed upon him following the first lunar landing.

Highlights of the sale include: the Inflight Coverall Jacket worn by Aldrin on during the Apollo 11 mission to the moon and back; also from the Apollo 11 mission, the fabled broken circuit breaker switch that could have ended the lives of the crew by stranding them in space, along with the felt tip pen Aldrin used to ignite the engine in place of the broken switch, thereby saving the crew's lives and allowing them to complete the mission. With both lots carrying an estimate of $1/2 million, they are among the most significant and valuable space exploration artifacts ever offered at auction.

In connection with the scientific legacy of Aldrin's career as an astronaut, which continues to inspire new generations of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs, select lots from the sale will be accompanied by a MIRAImage™ NFT, a unique digital identifier linked to its physical object using novel microscopic 3D scanning technology and advanced mathematical techniques that extract the object's identifying "DNA." The sale marks the very first time that MIRA technology will be applied to objects sold at auction.

Once the scan is generated, an NFT is minted by MIRA to the Ethereum blockchain, forever recording these micron-level details, along with each object's associated metadata and provenance information for future proof of authenticity. Benefitting from the technology behind NFTs, buyers of these select lots will receive the unique and immutable encrypted digital signature along with cataloging information so that any future artifact owner will have the assurance the object was originally acquired directly from Buzz Aldrin, something that is critically important for space-flown artifacts, which can only be legally owned if acquired from an astronaut.

Before the live auction on 26 July, a public exhibition featuring the full sale contents will be on view at Sotheby's York Avenue galleries in New York from 21 – 25 July. The sale will be a highlight of Sotheby's Geek Week, a series of four sales celebrating science and discovery: Natural History, including Gorgosaurus; Meteorites, Select Specimens from the Moon, Mars, Vesta, and More; and Self Reflected, a mind-blowing fusion of science and art.

Highlights From Buzz Aldrin: American Icon:

Inflight Coverall Jacket Worn by Aldrin on his Journey to the Moon and Back
Estimate $1,000,000 - $2,000,000

Among the exceptional artifacts on offer from the collection is Buzz Aldrin's Flown Apollo 11 Inflight Coverall jacket, serial number 1039, which he wore on the historic mission to the moon and back. The jacket is an exceptionally rare artifact, and is the only flown garment from the Apollo 11 mission available for private ownership; both Armstrong and Collins' Inflight Coverall Jackets are housed at the Smithsonian, along with all three crew members' A7L pressure suits. The practical elements of the jacket can be seen clearly, including reinforced holes in the upper torso through which the medical connections could pass. Buzz's name "E. Aldrin" is also clearly printed above the Apollo 11 mission emblem with a flag of the United States emblazoned on the left shoulder, on the right lapel is the famous NASA "meatball" logo.

Until the tragic Apollo 1 fire in 1967, spacesuits and inflight gear were crafted from highly flammable materials, such as nylon. The fire triggered a review of the suit and inflight garments' design, which resulted in modifications including the development of a new, fire-proof material known as Beta Cloth, a novel technology which was both fire-resistant, and tough enough to help protect the astronauts from micrometeroid blasts while outside the spacecraft.

The Switch that Nearly Ended the Lives of the Apollo 11 Crew and the Pen that Saved Them
Estimate $1,000,000 - $2,000,000

This unassuming pen became a vital resource to the astronauts of Apollo 11 when the critical ascent engine arming circuit-breaker switch required in order for the Lunar Module's ascent stage to re-ascend from the lunar surface broke off placing the lives of all three crew members in danger. While engineers at Mission Control in Houston were trying to solve the problem, Buzz ingeniously used the felt tip pen he had used to make inflight notations (on the various documents in this sale). The pen proved an essential lifeline, as Aldrin and Armstrong could not have used their fingers or and small metal objects onboard for fear of electrocution or potentially shorting the entire electrical system and marooning them on the Moon. Aldrin's quick thinking, and calm, decisive action directly led to the crew's accomplishment of the goal set out by President Kennedy, "of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth." Until now, the circuit breaker switch and pen have been on loan from Aldrin at various museums, including the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington, and most recently, at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

The Apollo 11 LM Systems Activation Checklist, Flown to the Lunar Surface and Meant to be Discarded There
Estimate $150,000 - $250,000

Flown documents from the Apollo 11 Mission are incredibly rare, and those flown to and used on the lunar surface even more so. It could be argued that this particular document is the rarest of all, as it was never intended to return to Earth. The Apollo 11 LM Systems Activation Checklist, which contains numerous manuscript notations made by Aldrin while on the lunar surface, bears a "Jettison" tag adhered to the front cover. Because the Lunar Module had limited fuel, the crew was directed to jettison any non-essential items to lighten the load, placing them in a special bag that was then thrown out onto the lunar surface. Aldrin chose instead to retain this book, which has proved to be an incredibly rich source of information not previously known about the mission, including additional items that were transferred from the Command Module to the Lunar Module prior to descent (Snacks! Tissues! The Molded earpiece offered in this sale), as well as numerous notes on the state of the Lunar Module following their descent.

The checklist contains a wealth of detailed information revealing how Aldrin and Armstrong pressurized the LM, opened the tunnel hatch for inspection and looked at the tunnel rim to check for the alignment between the command Module and the LM. There are also circuit breaker diagrams, sections for writing navigational data and records of the pressure of the oxygen tanks, the voltage stored in the batteries, and communication tests between Mission Control and the Command and Service Module (CSM).

'Go Army Beat Navy' Banner
Estimate $20,000 - $30,000

Elsewhere in the sale is Aldrin's now infamous 'Go Army Beat Navy Banner,' a hand-stitched banner which he unveiled during his Gemini XII spacewalks, and is particularly rare for its direct exposure to the vacuum of space. Aldrin remembers the banner fondly: "It just so happens that the annual Army/Navy football game was played in November…Each season cheers of 'Go Army Beat Navy' or 'Go Navy Beat Army' ring out at the game." His fellow Astronaut Tim Stafford had brought a 'Beat Army' sign into space on Gemini 6A and so, as a West Point graduate, Aldrin felt an answer was necessary; "I had this banner made…and carried it with me during one of my spacewalks." He adds; "Army beat Navy 20 - 7 that year. I would like to think that my high-flying tribute to Army might have helped the win."

The "Original Moonman" MTV VMA Statuette Presented to Aldrin in 1984
Estimate $7,000 - $10,000

Presented to Aldrin to commemorate the first ever MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, this "Original Moonman statuette represents the deep and wide-ranging cultural influence of the Apollo 11 Moonwalk. With Aldrin's permission, MTV chose the image of Aldrin planting the United States Flag on the Moon as the symbol for their new award program the concept being inspired by their first ever broadcast in August of 1981, which featured footage of the Apollo 11 Moonwalk, including the famous images of Buzz on the lunar surface, with animated MTV logos in place of the US flag. An indisputable cultural icon, Aldrin's silhouette from his moonwalk remains the symbol of the VMAs nearly 40 years later, and is a testament to his indelible place in popular culture.

posted 07-18-2022 12:11 PM               

Ear piece:

Apollo 11 lunar module water dispenser

Duro felt-tip pin and circuit breaker nib

Apollo 11 LM rendezvous charts

Apollo 11 LM Systems Activation checklist

posted 07-19-2022 12:11 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by 328KF:
So the "$1 million space pen" myth is going to become reality at long last.

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posted 07-20-2022 06:53 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Rick Mulheirn:
Does it matter that the inscription is not in Buzz’s hand?

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posted 07-20-2022 09:08 PM               

I looked into the U-Haul story after Dot Cummingham told it to me back at the Heritage Auction in 2008. I have looked through all of the past auctions and see that Buzz sold many individual pages from several checklists, but few complete checklists. As an example, the Apollo 11 Flight Plan had over 125 leaves in it. If he sold 10 pages per year since 1999, then he would be at the end of the line on the flight plan leaves this year. Ironically, the last 9 pages of the Apollo 11 flight plan will be sold at this auction.

At this point, I have only seen four complete checklists in private hands from Buzz Aldrin sales. Two are in the Karpeles Manuscript Museum in Santa Barbara due to a direct private sale from Buzz. The Apollo 11 Data Card Book was sold at Bonhams and the Apollo 11 LM Timeline Book that is still in the hands of a private collector who attempted to sell it at Christies in 2019. The last two complete checklists he has are here at this auction.

If anybody has seen other complete Apollo 11 checklists from Buzz Aldrin have sold then please let me know as I have tried to keep track of complete checklist sales for all missions.

posted 07-23-2022 11:22 AM               

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Originally posted by lunareagle:
Have all of the items that have part numbers and serial numbers been vetted?

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If you read through to the end of the catalogue descriptions for the hardware (which we all know is very different from items like flags and Beta cloth emblems, where there is no way to independently verify), you will see citations to the stowage list (which as most of us know lists only part numbers), the NASA ASHUR (Apollo Spaceflight Hardware Utilization Request) which lists the serial number for some items, as well as the NASA "Apollo 11 Post Flight Report on Suits, PLSS, etc.", which details not only both the part and serial numbers of the flown hardware, but also specifies which items were stowed in the Command Module, and which were stowed in the Lunar Module. You may view that document here.

We have also created a MIRAImage™ NFT for 10 lots in the sale. MIRAImage™ is a unique digital identifier linked to its physical object using novel microscopic 3D scanning technology and advanced mathematical techniques that extract the object's identifying “DNA.” The NFT will be minted by MIRA to the Ethereum blockchain, forever recording these micron-level details, along with the the object's associated metadata and provenance information (scan of Buzz's provenance/COA letters, images of the object, and all catalogue information) for future proof of authenticity.

This way if a signature fades (or in the case of metal objects signed with Sharpie, accidentally gets removed with alcohol) or is otherwise obscured or erased, or if the provenance paperwork is lost, the owner can still prove the provenance and authenticity of the item.

posted 07-23-2022 02:25 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
That joke was coined — and used to be funny — before we knew the quantity of items returned from Eagle.

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posted 07-26-2022 02:46 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by CEKebalo:
...shows how the two men veered off onto different paths.

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It's another reminder of why Armstrong was the perfect choice to take the first step on the moon. Some of the astronauts were too resistant to public attention to be good representatives of the program (Grissom, Borman, and Young come to mind). Others were too focused on money, fame, and glory (Aldrin, Shepard). But Armstrong was absolutely perfect. He understood his responsibility to history, and he accepted the spotlight it required. But he was so careful to not exploit that spotlight, and he knew when to gracefully step out of it.

posted 07-26-2022 03:07 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by hbw60:
Others were too focused on money, fame, and glory (Aldrin, Shepard). But Armstrong was absolutely perfect.

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posted 07-26-2022 03:15 PM               

Buzz Aldrin's moon-flown Apollo 11 jacket sells for record $2.8 million at Sotheby's

A jacket worn to the moon by astronaut Buzz Aldrin set a new record for the most-ever paid at auction for a flown-in-space artifact, while Aldrin's pen credited with saving the Apollo 11 mission failed to sell.

The bidding for Aldrin's inflight coverall jacket opened at $500,000 at Sotheby's in New York on Tuesday (July 26). One of 70 lots being offered from the 92-year-old moonwalker's collection, the glass-woven (Beta cloth) jacket was donned by Aldrin when he wasn't wearing his Apollo 11 spacesuit on the way to and from the moon 53 years ago this month.

posted 07-27-2022 09:35 AM               

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Originally posted by MartinAir:
$38K for a kapton foil fragment, really?

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posted 07-27-2022 04:15 PM               

It is funny, but I believed that Lot 15 had the most intrinsic historical value of all the lots in this auction, considering its importance to Apollo 11's ultimate success.

posted 07-27-2022 04:57 PM               

I've always thought there had to be another way "to save the mission" so-to-speak if it wasn't for the pen used by Aldrin. Surely, I thought, there had to be another way, but the pen lot is definitely a fascinating lot with a historical story behind it.