RUSSIAN AND NASA SPACESUITS, SYMBOLS OF THE SPACE RACE LAND AT BONHAMS Our Coverage Sponsored by Solera Restaurant
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Iconic symbols of the international space race go under the hammer in New York
A number of genuine spacesuits, a Lunar Rover model, a Mir Space Station control panel, and memorabilia from the famed Apollo 11 mission to the moon are just a few of the nearly 300 extraordinary items being offered as part of the Space History sale on April 8th in Bonhams New York salerooms.
When you were a child, did you want to be an astronaut when you grew up? It might not have happened, but here is a chance to own a piece of history from humankind’s most audacious exploration feats - into the unknown depths of the universe.
Two top lots in the sale are from the famed Apollo 11 launch, the first spaceflight that landed humans on the moon. An emblem flown with the craft into lunar orbit, and signed by the most famous space crew in history - Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin - is estimated at $ 40,000-60,000 USD. The emblem, depicting an eagle with an olive branch soaring above the moon’s surface, was worn on all Apollo 11 crew members’ spacesuits.
From the same Apollo 11 spaceflight, and estimated at $35,000-45,000 USD, is a checklist with critical data recorded by Armstrong and Aldrin while on the surface of the moon. There is a signed provenance letter from Aldrin which reveals the checklist has been in his possession ever since his return from the 1969 odyssey into space.
One of the more fascinating pieces in the sale is a spacesuit from the United States’ first manned flight program, Project Mercury (estimated at $8,000-12,000 USD). Conducted between 1959 and 1963, Project Mercury aimed to put a human being into orbit around the earth. Millions followed the Mercury flights on the radio and on television, capturing the public’s imagination while escalating the space race.
Cassandra Hatton, Bonhams Senior Specialist in Space History, said of the suit’s appeal: “The Mercury spacesuit epitomizes the earliest days of space exploration, a time when our world was a smaller place. A direct parallel can be drawn to the time when Columbus first set sail in 1492. In both instances no one knew if they would ever make it back, and one could only imagine what they would encounter on the voyage.”
Mercury-era spacesuits were essentially modified versions of the high altitude pressure suits used by the U.S. Navy at the time. BF Goodrich manufactured the suits using a special fabric created by the industrial behemoth Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M). Green nylon was coated with an aluminium powder, giving the Mercury suits their iconic silver colouring. Bonhams will offer a beautiful example of a Phase 2 suit, made circa 1960, featuring crucial improvements that allowed the astronauts increased freedom of movement.
In addition to the iconic project Mercury suit, Bonhams will offer a Russian Strizh spacesuit, designed to protect cosmonauts from ejection at altitudes up to 30 kilometres and speeds up to Mach 3 (estimate $15,000-20,000 USD). This rare example is one of only 27 created for test and training purposes between 1981-1991, many of which were damaged or destroyed.
Remaining lots in the sale encompass a wide range of collector’s delights, from lunar globes to models of rockets and the Lunar Rover. A Mir Space Station control panel is available for $4,000-6,000 USD, as well as a Cosmonaut’s survival machete ($500-700 USD), and even drinks containers from the space shuttle ($200-300 USD).
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to www.bonhams.com.
