DALLAS, TX.- A piece of cloth that flew on the two most important flights in history sold for $81,250 to lead Heritage Auctions' Space Exploration Auction to $1,819,798.75 in total sales.

"Other than the Armstrong Family CollectionTM auctions we had in 2018 and 2019, this was the biggest Space auction we have had," Heritage Auctions Space Exploration Director Michael Riley said. "One thing that was particularly gratifying about this sale was the fact that we sold several of the top lots to people who placed their bids before it even started. That shows the faith people have in Heritage Auctions' transparency and honesty, knowing that we did an accurate job evaluating the lots and conveying clear descriptions of what was available."

An Apollo 11 Lunar Module Flown Section of the Wright Flyer's Wing Fabric, Originally From The Armstrong Family Collection™, CAG Certified prompted a dozen bids before climbing well past its $55,000 pre-auction estimate. The muslin cloth square, measuring 1-1/4 inches in each direction, was part of the left wing of the Wright brothers' 1903 Flyer that was flown twice: Dec. 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, N.C., in the first manned flight, and July 20, 1969 at Tranquility Base (the name of the lunar landing site of Apollo 11.

Apollo 16: Charlie Duke's Lunar Module Flown Sunglasses nearly doubled their pre-auction estimate when they brought a winning bid of $75,000. The sunglasses even show traces of lunar dust from being handled by Duke while he was on the moon. Included in the extraordinary amount of provenance that accompanies the lot, Duke said, "Due to the Moon's lack of an atmosphere, the full strength of the Sun's rays reached the lunar surface. As such, it was critically important that our eyes be shielded from the extreme glare that resulted."

An Apollo 11-Flown MS66 NGC Sterling Silver Robbins Medallion, Serial Number 397, Directly From The Armstrong Family Collection™, CAG Certified, one of 450 flown aboard Apollo 11, drew 10 bids before closing at $62,500. The obverse of the 28mm medal shows Collins' early and original concept for the mission insignia, with the eagle carrying an olive branch in its mouth. NASA thought the sharp, open talons of the eagle looked too "warlike" and the olive branch, representing peace, was moved to the claws. This is one of, if not the only, major official items that renders the insignia as it was meant to be by the astronaut designer. The reverse has the dates of the mission, surnames of the crew and the serial number.

An extraordinary item in the auction was a Neil Armstrong Personal Autograph Letter Signed to USS Hornet Captain Carl J. Seiberlich inside a Binder of Beautiful Apollo 11 "Type One" Photos Sent to Him as a Gift, which found a new home at $42,500. The binder is an extraordinary relic given by the first moonwalker to Seiberlich, the captain of the USS Hornet, which retrieved Apollo 11 upon its return to Earth. Along with some beautiful color 8-by-10s of the earlier portions of the trip – that portion being to the moon and back – Armstrong wrote the customary note to Seiberlich, thanking him for the "hospitality" and expressed his hope "to return the favor someday."




United States World War II Army Air Forces Model A-11 Leather Flying Helmet Signed by Nineteen Legendary Aviators is another lot that blew past expectations when it finished at $32,500, more than five times its pre-auction estimate. The helmet, from the collection of Lee Nunn, bears the signatures of several space exploration icons, including Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean, Richard Gordon and Chuck Yeager. Many of those who signed the helmet wore similar headgear at some point earlier in their careers.

Other top lots included, but were not limited to:

· An Apollo 13 Flown Complete Microform Bible, Serial Number 13-001, with Crew-Signed Certificate, Originally from the Personal Collection of Apollo Prayer League Founder John M. Stout: $28,750

· An Apollo 17 Lunar Module Flown "Navigational Star Chart" Originally from the Personal Collection of Mission Commander Gene Cernan: $28,125

· An Apollo 12 Flown MS 68 NGC Sterling Silver Robbins Medallion, Serial Number 221, Originally from the Personal Collection of Astronaut Ron Evans: $27,500

· A Space Shuttle STS-41-G (October 1984) through STS-106 (September 2000) Collection of 86 Unflown Silver Robbins Medals: $26,250

· An Apollo 14 Lunar Module Flown Complete Lunar Bible Directly from the Personal Collection of Country Music Legend Bill Mack: $22,500

"It was a pleasure to offer to such a varied selection of items from every era of Space flight," Heritage Auctions Space Exploration Consignment Director Brad Palmer said. "This sale really did have items for collectors of every era and genre. It underscored the appreciation the most serious collectors have for Heritage Auctions' position in the market, and it bodes well for the excitement that already is building for our next auction in May."