Date: Fri 01-Oct-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: SHIRLE

Quick Words:

NASA-Christie's

Full Text:

Space Exploration At Christie's East Totals $1,934,955

NEW YORK CITY -- It was standing room only at Christie's East on Saturday,

September 18, when the auctioneer opened the sale of Space Exploration and

hammered down item after item in an auction of more than 300 lots. The

excitement was electrifying as an enthusiastic audience cheered and applauded

when a piece sold for double, triple or quadruple the presale estimate --

which was almost each item in the sale. The auction totaled $1,934,955

(including buyers premium), above its presale high estimate of $1.6 million,

was 94 percent sold by dollar and 92 percent sold by lot.

The stellar highlight of the sale was a flown NASA emblem and name tag coated

with lunar dust, which after furious bidding settled at $310,500 (est

$75/100,000). Another historical piece, the A5L Apollo spacesuit fitted for

Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon in 1969, moved faster than

the speed of light to $178,500 (est $60/80,000).

Smaller items that sold far above their estimates are many...Donald K. "Deke"

Slayton's Omega Speedmaster watch, one of 50 presented to the Astronauts in

1969 by the Omega Watch Company sold for $28,750 (est $8/12,000). A

Mercury-Atlas 5 Spacecraft hatch shingle to serve as the outer thermal

protection layer of the spacecraft fetched $43,700 (est $8/12,000). Buz

Aldrin's EVA flashlight used on his November 13, 1966 spacewalk, started at an

opening bid of $4,300 and finally sold for $9,200 (est $2/3,000).

A series of 15 blueprints NASA created for the design of a space suit that

eventually evolved into the A6L Apollo lunar space suit fetched $6,325 (est

$1,5/2,000). NASA'S Final Flight Plan for Apollo 11 dated July 1, 1969,

including a page flown to the moon sold for $12,650 (est $3/5,000). Finally, a

flown Apollo XIII A8 Command Modular Equipment Stowage Locker sold for $40,250

(est $20/30,000), possibly setting an auction record for a storage locker.