?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 3,000 - $ 4,000
INCLUDES GOGGLES FLOWN ON HIS 1926 NORTH POLE FLIGHT BYRD, RICHARD E. Small archive of items sent to publisher of the Syracuse Post-Standard Jerome Dewitt Barnum, including 6 TLsS, "DickByrd," "Dick," "REB," or "Byrd"; a printed copy of his September 1926 National Geographic article Signed and Inscribed, "REByrd Jr"; as well as a small flag and pair of goggles flown during his historic flights. The letters, mostly sending gifts and thanks. Together 6 pages, 4to, most on "Byrd Arctic Expedition" stationery; scattered uneven toning, folds, minor loss to upper corner of one. With the original envelope for the 9 September 1927 letter, with "Air-Mail Saves Time" cancel. The article, "The First Flight to the North Pole," pages 355-388 removed from the complete magazine, "Oct 4, 1926 / With kindest regards," on page 356. With duplicate leaf (pp. 355-56) bound in and additionally signed and inscribed by Floyd Bennett: "With best wishes." Small 4to, blue morocco with gilt titling, joints rubbed; blue morocco slipcase. The flag, bearing 48 stars, originally sent as an enclosure with either the 9 September 1927 or 20 July 1931 letter. 4x6 inches, cloth. The goggles, yellow-tinted with lining and elastic strap, mentioned in the 9 September 1927 letter. 6 1/2x2 1/2x1 inches; good condition; in original Andrew J. Lloyd Company mailing box addressed to "Mrs. R.E. Byrd." Vp, 1926-31
18 October 1927: ". . . I am tickled to death to hear that the Junior League in Boston netted $10,000 on the lecture. Of course, you realize that their having me was due to the fine send off you gave me in Syracuse. The lecture business has come off O.K., and I owe a good deal of it to you. . . ." 9 September 1927: "I am happy to send you an American flag which I carried for you on the 'America' on our Trans-Atlantic flight from New York to France. ". . . I am also sending you a pair of snow goggles which we carried with us on the 'Josephine Ford' on our flight across the Pole, May 9, 1926, and I will be glad to carry with me on our Antarctic expedition another American flag for you if you wish it. . . ." 20 July 1931: "Here is the flag I carried for you across the South Pole . . . ," with holograph postscript signed: "I'm sorry the flag is not large but as you know every ounce of weight counted." With--A letter to the son of J.D. Barnum from his grandmother, Mrs. Charles M. Crouse, mentioning that she saw Igloo, Byrd's pet wire fox terrier, "holding Byrd's stockings in his mouth without harm until his master was ready for them." 2 pages, square 8vo, personal stationery, written on recto and verso of a single sheet. Syracuse, 8 October 1930. There is some controversy over whether Byrd actually crossed the North Pole. Some have argued that the top speed of his plane coupled with the headwinds make his claim improbable, though it was verified by the U.S. Navy and the National Geographic Society at the time. Nevertheless, material from the flight is uncommon at auction, and desirable both as an aviation item and as Arctic memorabilia.
