Space History Auction

Artifacts relating to the early years of space exploration will be sold this week by Bonham’s auction house in New York. The sale includes both American and Soviet memorabilia. Many of the items are from the personal collections of astronauts and others associated with the space programs.Above, full-scale model of a Saturn V F-1 engine, approximately 19’ tall x 12’ diameter. (Would look amazing in a backyard--so much more original than a gnome!)
Below, neck tag worn by Ham the Space Chimp on his 1961 flight.

Ham, after his flight. Check out his LIFE photo gallery.

Photo of the Mercury Seven, 20 x 16 inches, c.1959, printed later. Signed by Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, and Gordon Cooper.

Space suit parts with photos taken during testing.

"Skyward," by Commander Richard E. Byrd.
Endpapers are signed by over 20 aviators in the 1920s and 1930s, including R.E. Byrd, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Frank Whittle, J.H. Doolittle, and Eddie Rickenbacker.

"International Turtle Club (Outershell Division)" official membership card signed by Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, and Wally Schirra. The traditions of this club, started by pilots from World War II, were embraced by the Mercury astronaut corps. The card has the "Turtle Creed" and the membership requirements.

90-page book describing the Defense Department's role during the Apollo 11 flight including details on the tracking network, support aircraft, and recovery ships, 1969. Signed by Buzz Aldrin.

Internal publication about Apollo 11 produced by North American Rockwell, builder of the Command Module. Signed by Buzz Aldrin.

Signed orbital flight reports from May and October of 1962.


Lunar surface photo-mosaics created by U.S. Geological Survey, 1966-68. This was before the Hockneyizer photo-collage generator was invented. It was even before David Hockney started making his famous Polaroid composites.


POSTERS
It’s a really good thing aeronautic success and poster design are in no way related. In these pieces, the Soviets are literally reaching for the stars, while U.S. poster-design talent was clearly focused elsewhere (movies? rock concerts?).
Bravely to the Stars; No Obstacles for Heroism
Moscow, 1968

Tenth Planet—A Symbol of the Victory of the Communists!
Moscow, 1959

To the Stars!
Moscow, 1965

Left: To the Conquest of the Universe—Glory! Moscow, 1961
Right: Glory to the Cosmonaut U.A. Gagarin! Moscow,1961

Let Our Constellation Shine
Moscow, 1966

Apollo 8 Poster: Quality Work Assures Success

Poster of Astronaut Rusty Schweickart with a spiral galaxy backdrop. Text: "In our business only the EXCEPTIONAL is satisfying. THANKS FOR YOUR SHARE"

Poster features portraits of the Apollo Astronauts and Russian Cosmonauts of the Apollo Soyuz flight during 1975. A symbolic chain links the together around the Apollo Soyuz Program emblem. Text: “Linked in Trust, In the Excellence of Your Work”


The sale includes a number of sketches of high-altitude manned ballooning capsules from the 1950s. (Lots 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)





Anatoly Levchenko 's jumpsuit from Soyuz TM-4. It was the fourth manned spacecraft to dock with Mir, in December 1987.

Royal Wedding Dress, Tonga

Had enough of Kate’s dress yet? This is the 1976 Tongan royal wedding of Capt. M. Tuita and Princess Pilolevu. (They say knock-off dresses were worn by Tongan brides and grooms for the next two seasons.)

Here is a link for more vintage postcards from Tonga.

Dominoes or Dominos?

Frankly, I have nothing to add to the discourse on dominoes (that goes for theory and design). I just like the boxes.

Read about the history of dominoes here. Read about domino producer, Halsam, here. The company was founded as a block manufacturer in 1917 by brothers-in-law Hal and Sam. Vintage domino sets are readily available on eBay.

Russian domino set for the blind.

Scenes from the National Conference for Media Reform

Earlier this month, with the government shutdown narrowly averted, Nancy Pelosi dropped in on the National Conference for Media Reform, to address the crowd of some 2,500 activists, scholars, and journalists.

Free Press, the advocacy group for a diverse and independent media, sponsored the event, which was held at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston.

The weekend was jam-packed with panels, lectures, and workshops on everything from Wikileaks to comics to the FCC. Videos of the sessions and talks can be viewed here.

Assorted tidbits …
Bernie Sanders addressed the crowd remotely, and Craig Newmark
appeared on a panel.

A session about the astroturfing exploits of
the Koch family was standing room only.

At a panel about the failure of the financial press, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz identified the inherent problem in relying on business people as sources: “There’s no incentive for good information. There’s much incentive for distorted information.” Watch the panel here.

“The “S” Word, A Short History of An American Tradition … Socialism” by John Nichols of The Nation. I continue to find the image of raising a red flag at Iwo Jima extremely puzzling.

The Seaport World Trade Center
(What says “conference center” better than a lonely faux ficus tree?)


Lawrence Lessig
Law professor and political activist, Lawrence Lessig, has a unique presentation style, and with a little help from Sony Bono, David Byrne, and Mickey Mouse, he keeps the audience riveted.
Yes, he was preaching to the choir, but there really is no overstating the distorting effect of big money on the legislative process.
is
You can watch his presentation here.


Amy Goodman, who has been at every NCMR, broadcast ‘Democracy Now’ live from the conference. She is a passionate crusader for independent media, which she defines very clearly as:

Media that’s not brought to us by the weapons manufacturers when we deal with war, not brought to us by insurance companies and big pharma when we cover the health care debate, not brought to us by the oil, gas, coal, or nuclear industries when we’re dealing with global warming.

I liked the way Malkia Cyril, of the Center for Media Justice, framed what’s at stake:

This is about who gets to tell the story of how we live and how we die. And I submit to you, that the revolution will be televised, the only question is by who-- AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, or you?

Some sites to visit
Free Press
Common Cause
BanksterUSA
Rootstrikers.org
Think Progress
Global Post
Global Voices
Color of Change
Naked Capitalism
Personal Democracy Forum
SourceWatch
(By the way, SourceWatch has a serious logo problem.)

Passover vs. Easter

The soup photo, above, left, was sent to me by Terry Rosen. Her title, 'Kneidleachness Monster,' made me not even care that it's really a matzo ball snowman. Besides, it's creepy enough to pass for a monster. (Photo by Joyce Lapinsky Lewis)

'Peepzilla' was posted here by Stacy Hay.