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Author
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Topic: Bob McLeod's autograph gallery (closing)
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fabfivefreddy
Member Posts: 1067
From: Leawood, Kansas USA
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 10-03-2005 09:00 AM
   
It is my hope and intention that this astronaut autograph gallery will be of interest to collectors and serve as a useful reference and resource. What a fantastic resource and library. Thanks Bob! |
gliderpilotuk
Member Posts: 3409
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 10-03-2005 11:49 AM
Incredible. A lot of thought has gone into assembling this unique collection. Well done Bob. |
Shuttlefan
Member Posts: 173
From: 41366 Schwalmtal, Germany
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 10-03-2005 12:19 PM
There are some holy grails of autograph collecting — this is definitely one! Much respect and admiration, this is kind of a life work. |
collshubby
Member Posts: 591
From: Madisonville, Louisiana
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-03-2005 12:20 PM
I echo all of the thoughts above. Thank you for this valuable resource! |
Scott
Member Posts: 3308
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2001
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posted 10-03-2005 12:31 PM
Very nice. Thanks for sharing, Bob! |
Aztecdoug
Member Posts: 1405
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 10-03-2005 12:53 PM
Nice job Bob. I can't imagine how many hours you put into the site.It is very nicely organized, the scans are both crisp and clear. The pages are easy to load too. A real gem, and it certainly deserves it's role as a resource for all to bookmark. |
Apollo-Soyuz
Member Posts: 1255
From: Shady Side, Md
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted 10-03-2005 03:17 PM
I echo the sentiments of all the previous posters. Having been corresponding with Bob for over 25 years, the space collecting community has a real asset in him. he freely shares his experiences with other collectors. I am glad I can call him my friend. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1782
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 10-04-2005 06:58 AM
Thanks for the nice comments about my new website. While it took five weeks to assemble and build, it represents 30 years of collecting astronaut autographs. About a year ago I created my first website and for those who missed it can view it here. It shows a lot of stuff besides just astronaut signed covers. My new site is dedicated to astronaut autographs and has over 1,000 examples of autographs by the various astronauts. Thanks for taking the time to visit my websites. |
Rex76
New Member Posts:
From:
Registered:
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posted 10-04-2005 07:53 AM
This is one of the best collections. Very, very nice!!! Thanks. |
Astro Bill
Member Posts: 1329
From: New York, NY
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 10-04-2005 08:14 AM
Bob, this is a very impressive site and I predict that all serious space cover collectors will use it on a regular basis as a reference. You are to be congratulated for your devotion to the hobby of space cover/autograph collecting. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1782
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 10-04-2005 01:42 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Astro Bill:
You are to be congratulated for your devotion to the hobby of space cover/autograph collecting.
Thanks, Bill. Nice of you to say that. My Website is intended to be about astronaut autographs, my main interest, but it also displays an interesting variety of space covers. I didn't intend it to be about covers, but for those with an interest in space covers, they will see a lot of different types there: from early Swanson/SpaceCraft covers and "Orbit" covers, to Insurance covers and crew patch/mission emblem cacheted covers, and even a few flown covers.And it's my opinion that space covers generally display autographs better than photos and lithos. Often autographs on photos are applied in dark areas or across areas of much detail. While autographed photos are much more popular than autographed covers with today's collectors, collectors of the early days of space collecting generally preferred having covers signed and that's a tradition I have carried on to the present day. |
collshubby
Member Posts: 591
From: Madisonville, Louisiana
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-04-2005 03:49 PM
Just a few of questions that I was curious about and to let everyone learn a bit more about your collection. - What was the most difficult autographed cover to find?
- What was the most difficult autograph for you to obtain by mail (writing directly to the astronaut)?
- Which one(s) are your favorites?
- Can I have them?
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Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 3179
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 10-04-2005 09:20 PM
Bob has certainly done it again! What a remarkable one-of-a-kind signature archive he has assembled of all 145 NASA crews that have flown in space from 1961 with America's first spaceman to 2005 with the latest Shuttle Discovery crew. Well done, my good friend, and all so beautifully illustrated on his well-designed new website! What a joy and unique education to see all the flown NASA crews along with 327 individual NASA astronaut autographs — all on space covers — that even includes the 75 never-flown NASA astronauts and those yet to fly. I know this type of collection is a lifetime work of sincere dedication and devoted passion that took decades to achieve. As a long-time dear friend and fellow veteran collector that I admire and respect, Bob and I have shared and worked together, since the early 1970s, on many collecting projects — but this is by far one of his best and finest creations and perhaps his "signature" project of all time. Keep on collecting those "future" astronaut signed covers, Bob, and we'll look forward to new entries as they become available. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your pioneering collection with us all. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1782
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 10-05-2005 10:02 AM
Thanks, Ken - you are too kind. As you know, much of what I've accomplished these 30 years in collecting is due to your kind help and influence, and many of the covers I've had signed through the years were kindly supplied by you. I'll send you an e-mail soon, but want to now take a little time to respond to Brian's questions. - My most difficult autographed cover to find was my GT-3 launch cover signed by Grissom and Young. These are hard to find with for-sure genuine autographs. It was the last pre-Shuttle crew signed cover I needed and came via a trade with another collector.
- My most difficult to obtain by mail signed cover is hard to decide, as there have been so many. Many took multiple sendings and many years to complete. One in particular, an STS-52 crew signed cover, was recently completed 13 years after the STS-52 flight. The other crew members signed the cover thru the mail, but Bill Shepherd didn't and only recently thru the kind help of a cS member here, did I finally get it signed and completed by Shepherd in person. I had taken this cover to many astronaut events in the hope that Shepherd might show up so I could have him sign and complete the cover.
- My favorite is probably my complete crew signed STS-51L cover. It was signed only 3-weeks before the loss of Challenger and was the only one that I was able to get signed by all 7. Another one of my favorites is my cover signed by all ten Teacher-in-Space Finalists. But these covers are sad reminders of a tragedy.
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spaceman
Member Posts: 1138
From: Walsall, West Midlands, UK
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 10-07-2005 04:28 PM
I've just given up collecting...Only joking but what a fantastic collection, how many so complete do exist? |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1782
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 10-08-2005 03:03 PM
Nick, thanks. Please keep in mind that my website presentation was 30 years in the making and to achieve completion of these difficult sets does take much time, effort and persistence. I had the advantage of obtaining much of it years ago, but such sets are still achievable thru time, effort and certainly some expense. For someone with time, dedication and money (all would be needed), I'd recommend trying to put together a complete set of autographs of all the flown astronauts. As far as how many complete flown astronaut autograph sets exist, I would certainly think that there would be a fair number - but almost all on portraits, or a mixture of signed portraits, covers, checks and cards and very few all on covers like I decided to do. But for collectors who are thinking of putting together a set of signed items by all the flown astronauts, doing so on a mixture of items (photos, covers, etc.) would make such an endeavor simpler, easier and quicker. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1782
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 11-08-2005 02:12 PM
For those who collect or have an interest in cosmonaut autographs, I have added a section of cosmonaut autograph examples to my website. With its addition, a collector can now visit my website and see autograph examples of almost everyone who has flown in space. I plan to later add autograph examples of the few others who have ventured into space, which will then result in autograph examples of all the space voyagers. Comments, questions and criticism is welcome. |
Wehaveliftoff
Member Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 11-08-2005 07:33 PM
The slideshow mode is THE BEST.Your collection is the best! So jealous. Very happy to share with all of us your incredible collection, you are an inspiration to us all. Makes us want to step up my collecting to a new level, just to try and catch up. |
fabfivefreddy
Member Posts: 1067
From: Leawood, Kansas USA
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 11-08-2005 08:55 PM
Outstanding! |
micropooz
Member Posts: 1576
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 11-09-2005 10:33 AM
Bob, outstanding job, as always! It is a real pleasure to peruse your site. And especially since most of your autographs are on covers (my own personal bias)! |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1782
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 03-06-2015 02:30 PM
Added to my website are two new albums, with the first showing autographed portraits of all 59 women who have flown in space. The second album shows autographed portraits of the 29 minority NASA Astronauts who have flown in space.The Women in Space album contains autographed portraits of women from eleven different countries, and the minority NASA Astronaut album contains autographed portraits of fourteen African-Americans, nine Hispanics and six Asians. Comments and corrections are welcome. |
bobslittlebro
Member Posts: 211
From: Douglasville, Ga U.S.A.
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 03-06-2015 03:52 PM
Bob and I corresponded through the mail for years starting in the late 70s. I would send Xerox copies of signed covers and photos I had recently received in the mail and Bob would do the same. One year we decided to make a trip down to Georgia to visit some of my wife's family so I thought this would be a great opportunity to visit Bob and finally get to meet him in person. Well, I was at Bob's house for 8 hours and still did not get to see all of his collection. Yes what a collection! |
AlanC
Member Posts: 168
From: Scotland
Registered: Nov 2014
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posted 03-06-2015 04:09 PM
The question that we really want answered is -Did you take a sneaky sip of Bob Crippen's beer while he was signing your cover?  |
mach3valkyrie
Member Posts: 727
From: Albany, Oregon
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 03-06-2015 04:26 PM
A fantastic collection! I appreciate the effort it took to assemble. And what a great reference for the rest of us. Thanks for sharing. |
fredtrav
Member Posts: 1744
From: Birmingham AL
Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 03-06-2015 06:02 PM
Great work Bob! |
jtheoret
Member Posts: 377
From: Albuquerque, NM USA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 03-06-2015 08:13 PM
Fantastic and very enjoyable. Thanks! |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1782
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 03-08-2015 01:40 PM
Thanks, guys. Actually the two albums I created ("Women" and "Minorities") were less about autographs than about being a tribute to these ladies and gentlemen who played such a very important part in space exploration, with six giving their lives in the process: McNair, Onizuka, Resnik, Chawla, Clark and Anderson - plus, of course, Christa McAuliffe (she, sadly, didn't fly in space as all the others did, but I plan to soon add a signed portrait of hers with the others).Also with the autographs being secondary, I hope that a number of non-autograph collectors find their way to the "Autograph" forum that may have interest in the many and interesting mostly official portraits shown. Many collectors/fans have no interest in autographs, but do have interest in photographs and images of space travelers. For example, with Jose Hernandez, I mentioned that the official NASA portrait of his may be the only official NASA astronaut portrait with nothing in the background - no flag or anything. I believe that that is very unusual - unique. |
Mike Dixon
Member Posts: 1516
From: Kew, Victoria, Australia
Registered: May 2003
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posted 03-08-2015 08:09 PM
Bob, the 2004 astronaut group (most of them anyway) had glossies released that had no backgrounds either... but the lithos that followed did.Different poses of course. |
Steve Zarelli
Member Posts: 739
From: Upstate New York, USA
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 03-10-2015 05:35 AM
Bob's site is an invaluable resource... Thanks for all your hard work, Bob. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1782
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 02-19-2021 03:07 PM
The Picturetrail website hosting site is closing after February 28 and with it will be the end of my 15-year website mainly devoted to astronaut material.Those with interest in astronaut and cosmonaut autographs, including Armstrong and moonwalker autographs, plus space covers and photos, might want to visit my soon-to-end website one last time before March 1. Also there is material pertaining to Apollo insurance covers, Enterprise/ALT, test aircraft, Challenger/Columbia, Teacher-in-Space, etc. Bob McLeod
Space collector since 1972 |
sts205cdr
Member Posts: 685
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Jun 2001
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posted 02-19-2021 03:16 PM
Bob, that's a bummer. Pardon my ignorance, but isn't there another hosting site that that you could use to continue your great resource? |
Jonnyed
Member Posts: 473
From: Dumfries, VA, USA
Registered: Aug 2014
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posted 02-21-2021 07:59 AM
Wow. So awesome! Thanks for posting...would be great to find another hosting site. |
Tallpaul
Member Posts: 196
From: Rocky Point, NY, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 02-22-2021 10:37 AM
Bob, this is indeed sad news for the collecting community. Is there anyway that your collection could be archived in the digital universe? Your site is unparalleled and has been an incredibly valuable resource for both newbie and veteran collectors. I would attribute my growth from a newbie to a semi-veteran as being a result of your mentoring and through your site providing access to photos of pristine examples of covers. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1782
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 02-23-2021 07:36 AM
Thanks guys. I was able to transfer the approximate 1,700 images from my soon-to-end website to my computer using a zip file, so all won't be lost, but lost will be the information and comments that I added to most of the material. So I'm just left with all those images in 24 folders from the 24 albums from my Picturetrail website. As far as another website, maybe, but at best it will be modest and maybe only 5-6 sections, as I feel that I've used enough time, effort and thought on this website that I kept up to date and added to all those years. |
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