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Author
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Topic: [University Archives] Space memorabilia (Jan 2026)
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SClarkson
Member Posts: 76
From: Fairfield,
Registered: Sep 2012
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posted 12-23-2025 09:32 AM
   
University Archives January 2026 auction is featuring 76 great space memorabilia items. Included is a truly unique camera – a Hasselblad 203S Shuttle flown camera, one of only two in private hands (18 are known to be in museums and two were destroyed on Columbia.) The camera is fully outfitted with a flown film magazine, data module and more. Check out the full detailed description. There is a large piece of a Mercury flown ablative heatshield, a beautiful Apollo 11 beta cloth patch signed by the entire crew (with Zarelli letter of authenticity), a very large piece of flown Apollo 11 Kapton, Neil Armstrong autographed white spacesuit photo plus an entire Apollo 11 crew autographed photo. Two lots feature Russian spacesuit gloves, three lots of lunar meteorites and lots containing additional spacesuit components and other NASA hardware. The sale is on Jan. 7 at 10 a.m. EST. Space lots are 183 to 258. If you enter #spaceastronaut in the search bar all space items will be featured. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5535
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-23-2025 11:00 AM
quote:
Originally posted by SClarkson:
There is a large piece of a Mercury flown ablative heatshield
Unless the auction house has some other supporting provenance to substantiate flown (and in particular manned mission flown) would not assume ablation as definitive of flight history. There was an extensive test campaign preceding operationalization of the Mercury heatshield which included ground based arc-jet tests to simulate reentry effects — in addition to unmanned flight test regime. In my opinion, this looks to be residual from the former. quote:
Two lots feature Russian spacesuit gloves
Lot 218 and presumably the accompanying COA are mistaken. The glove is neither from an Orlan-M nor could it have been worn/flown on TM-8 (the Orlan-M wasn't placed in service until the mid 1990's) and the pressure bladder/restraint layer (all Orlan variants) was of a significantly different design. The lotted example may be a Baklan pressure suit glove or derivative (if not a Franken glove). Good example of why many "COAs" are essentially meaningless. Lot 217 Characterized as having been worn by Dzhanibeku (presumably the auction house intended to state "Dzhanibekov") stipulates the gloves as likely flown and that according the Zvezda the gloves were for the Orlan spacesuit (Zvezda is unlikely to have made such an error); they are Sokol gloves and are just as likely to be unflown (assuming these were actually manufactured for Dzhanibekov there were multiple sets issued for training and flight application). |
drs. j
Member Posts: 29
From: Nes, Netherlands
Registered: Jul 2014
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posted 12-24-2025 01:49 AM
Lot 218 has TEST (Praboe) engraved in the locking ring. So I'm not sure either it was flown.For Lot 217 I'd like to see more pictures as what is show is a bit poor. Might as well be a training pair, not even belonging to each other (e.g. not a matching pair). All three still nice items, but might not be the real — flown — deal. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5535
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-24-2025 06:52 AM
ПРАВОЕ = Right (glove) - either way lot description is in error. |
hidaleeho
Member Posts: 89
From: Denver, Colorado, USA
Registered: Dec 2011
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posted 12-29-2025 02:11 PM
What provenance other than someone saying that is there that the Hasselblad was flown? |
SClarkson
Member Posts: 76
From: Fairfield,
Registered: Sep 2012
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posted 12-31-2025 02:23 PM
I hope this response will address the questions raised on a few of the UA auction lots. - Lot 184 – Flown Heatshield. We have added the COA from Bill Whipkey to the lot description. It attests that the heatshield was flown on a manned mission.
Bill was given various heatshield pieces for presentations from manned flights. Unfortunately at the time he signed this COA in my presence he did not recall which mission. - Lot 239 – Flown Hasselblad camera. The consignor did extensive research on the camera and the various components. He is an expert on NASA photographic equipment. We have added his COA to the lot description. (He is also willing to communicate directly with the buyer.)
- The two lots (217, 218) with Russian space suit gloves have been withdrawn from this sale. We will work to update the descriptions and they will be offered again in a future sale.
Thank you for the feedback. |
SClarkson
Member Posts: 76
From: Fairfield,
Registered: Sep 2012
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posted 01-04-2026 07:51 AM
A few more items to highlight in the upcoming auction. |
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