Quote:
... how could you be sure its original? Yes there is a cert but that could have been made up by anyone, it does not appear to be signed by an official expert ...
Not to defend the lot, the pricing, or Bonhams, but the lot description clearly identifies the signer of the certificate, as well as the provenance of the individual sample:
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FABRIC FROM THE KITTY HAWK FLYER, 1903.
1. Swatch of fabric, 1½ x 1¼ inches, mounted on a printed certificate signed by Lester D. Gardner, a publisher of aviation journals and a friend of Orville Wright. The certificate made out to Willian van Dusen, and framed. Spotting.
2. The pilot's log book of George W. van Dusen of Newtown, CT, beginning September 6, 1960, with his signature on several pages but also that of A. William van Dusen. With autographs on the rear endpapers of EDDIE RICKENBACKER, RALPH CONNINGTON, HENRY VICKERS, JIMMY DOOLITTLE, and others. Lightly rubbed.
Orville Wright reassembled the Kitty Hawk machine for its first public exhibition in 1916, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Finding the original fabric could not be used, he substituted new fabric and kept some of the original fabric. On his death in 1948, Orville's executors discovered the fabric and asked Gardner, who had also been on the board of M.I.T., to distribute sections to aeronautical luminaries. William van Dusen was the first Publicity Director for Pan American Airways Corporation.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Posted 02/06/2015 4:58 pm
