PARIS.- On November 3rd, 2026, Artcurial will present at auction for the first time an exceptional collection of personal items and memorabilia belonging to Jean Mermoz (1901–1936), which have been kept by his family since his death. Offering a genuine insight into the private life of one of the greatest figures of the Aéropostale, this sale traces the extraordinary life of a man who became a legend.
His leather coat worn in the Andes, his parachute engraved with his name, his aviator’s goggles and his second lieutenant’s cap will be auctioned alongside mementoes from the Aéropostale and his childhood, such as his christening clothes and school drawings.
Letters telling his many accidents, as well as a rare photographic portrait of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry inscribed “to my old friend Mermoz”, will feature in this auction including over 200 lots.
A collection at the crossroads of adventure, modernity and the spirit of conquest.
Jean Mermoz, the knight of the sky
Jean Mermoz (1901–1936) was one of France’s most famous aviators and a leading figure in the Aéropostale. After serving as a military pilot, he played a part in establishing the first air routes between France, Africa and South America. In 1930, he achieved the first commercial crossing of the South Atlantic without stopovers, a historic achievement. Known for his exceptional courage and panache, he faced storms, mechanical failures and the most perilous missions with composure. On December 7th, 1936, his ‘Croix-du-Sud’ seaplane disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean. Almost ninety years after his disappearance, Jean Mermoz remains a symbol of daring, determination, and the spirit of adventure. This sale offers a unique opportunity to rediscover, through mementoes preserved by his family, the everyday life of this aviation legend.
Artifacts from an aviation legend
This sale offers a unique opportunity to discover extraordinary items that belonged to Jean Mermoz, bearing witness to his exceptional life. His leather flying jacket, worn in the Andes, is a testament to the extreme conditions faced by these pioneers of the sky, who braved the elements with meagre resources. The same is true of his parachute, covered in red leather with the name ‘MERMOZ’ standing out in gold lettering, the effectiveness of which was, at the time, rather limited. His aviator’s goggles, with cracked lenses, echo a fragment of a dashboard, probably salvaged from one of the aeroplanes in which he was involved in an accident in 1924 following an engine failure.
Each of these objects powerfully brings to life the everyday reality of these men who pushed the boundaries of aviation.
Mermoz: a more intimate view
This collection also offers a glimpse of another side to Mermoz – a more intimate and personal one. Preserved by his family since his death, these mementoes reveal the man behind the legend.
The sale thus brings together several childhood mementoes: his baby hair, his christening clothes, letters from his school days, drawings and manuscripts, such as an amusing draft of a school magazine, as well as an unpublished short story entitled “Fatale lumière”, written in 1924.
Boldness and bravery do not preclude superstition, as evidenced by two talismans from his cockpit: one is a small slipper that he took on board during his training flights at Thionville; the other, a doll, was the talisman of the Nancy fighter squadron.
Unpublished and particularly moving photo albums are displayed alongside maps and flight documents, including the logbooks relating to the POTEZ 36/14 flown by Jean Mermoz between 1930 and 1931.
Memories of an adventure across the line
What could be more evocative than letters tracing the journey of an Aéropostale pioneer? Among them are those recounting his numerous accidents, the loss of his comrade Henri Érable, his epic clashes with the Moors in the desert, his plans for aerial raids, and the development of the route in South America.
Toulouse, Casa’, Saint-Louis, Natal, Reine, Guillaumet, Saint-Exupréry… These names still inspire enthusiasm today among both the French and South Americans and continue to capture the imagination of several generations. This “until death” camaraderie is particularly illustrated by a very rare photographic portrait of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, inscribed “to my old friend Mermoz”.
The sale also takes us to Palmyra, amongst the ruins of Queen Zenobia’s city, where the romantic atmosphere of this vanished past is frozen for eternity in an exceptional collection of photographs taken by Jean Mermoz and his entourage between 1921 and 1923. It then takes us to the Moroccan Sahara, with a Moorish bracelet and a Tuareg bag evoking the incredible risks faced by the “Ligne” pilots when confronted by rebel tribes. The crossing of the Andes is brought to life through aerial views taken from an aeroplane, whilst the early years of Air France are evoked by his peaked cap and the airline’s pennants, adorned with the famous winged seahorse.
Through this exceptional collection, the entire epic story of the Aéropostale is brought to life, carried by the memories of a man whose fate continues to fascinate nearly a century after his death.
