Earhart Flight Goggles to Auction

Amelia Earhart's goggles
Amelia Earhart’s goggles

Profiles in History is adding Amelia Earhart’s flight goggles, worn during her historic 1932 record-breaking solo transatlantic flight, to their upcoming auction of Hollywood memorabilia taking place October 8-9, 2009. These goggles were on loan to and exhibited in the Earhart case next to her Lockheed Vega at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum from 1993-98.

“These goggles are the single most important flight worn aviation artifact to ever be offered at public auction,” said Joe Maddalena, president of Profiles in History.

Interest is heightened because the Amelia Earhart movie will be released a short time after the auction.

Other flight-related items included in the auction are astronaut Gus Grissom’s worn Mercury flight suit and Neil Armstrong baseball cap worn after splash-down and recovery from the historic Apollo 11 mission to the moon.

The full press release appears after the jump.

For Immediate Release

PROFILES IN HISTORY TO SELL AMELIA EARHART’S FLIGHT GOGGLES WORN DURING HER HISTORIC 1932 RECORD-BREAKING SOLO TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT

The Single Most Important Flight-Worn Aviation Artifact To Ever Be Offered At Public Auction Will Be Available October 8-9, 2009

Calabasas, CA, September 23, 2009- Profiles in History, the world’s leading auctioneer of Hollywood memorabilia, has landed Amelia Earhart’s original flight goggles worn during her historic 1932 record-breaking solo transatlantic flight. The flight set several aeronautic records: the first person to cross the Atlantic twice, first woman to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic, and the fastest transatlantic flight-beating Lindbergh by 18 hours and cemented her celebrity status, leading to her 1934 transpacific flight and her doomed around-the-world attempt in 1937. These goggles were on loan to and exhibited in the Earhart case next to her Lockheed Vega at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum from 1993-98. They will be a special addition to Profiles in History’s October 8-9, 2009 auction of Hollywood memorabilia and have an estimated sale price of $100,000-$150,000. Worldwide bidding begins at 12:00 PM (noon) both days and can be placed either in person, via mail, phone, fax or live on the Internet at: http://www.icollector.com/Hollywood-Auction-37_a5736.

“These goggles are the single most important flight worn aviation artifact to ever be offered at public auction,” said Joe Maddalena, president of Profiles in History.

Already announced as part of the same auction are Michael Jackson’s iconic illuminating white glove that he wore on the Victory tour as well as the original cover art from The Jacksons “Victory” album, and an early production Macintosh 128 computer, given to Gene Roddenberry by Apple Computer, Inc.

Complete Description of Amelia Earhart’s Original Flight Goggles:

Original Amelia Earhart flight goggles worn during her historic 1932 record-breaking solo transatlantic flight.  Estimated sale price: $100,000-$150,000.
These goggles were on loan to and exhibited in the Earhart case next to her Lockheed Vega at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum from 1993-98.  The goggles feature aluminum frames with tinted glass lenses and fabric tape covering the upper and lower portions of the lenses (to reduce the tremendous glare from flying over the Atlantic).  The goggles have wool padding for comfort and leather straps with a metal hook to fasten over her flight helmet.  Comes with a Typed Letter Signed by Earhart to aerial cinematographer, Ray Fernstrom, in which she discusses the goggles stating, “That particular pair are rather historic.  Also they have grown accustomed to me, and cling around my unconventional nose more effectively than new ones.”

Also accompanied with an Autograph Letter Signed from Amy Earhart (Amelia’s mother) dated July 5, 1947 discussing the goggles, as well as letters of correspondence from The Smithsonian and Purdue University Archives, both enthusiastically suggesting the goggles to be donated to their respective institution.  An incredible artifact from Earhart’s milestone record-setting flight which she began five years, to the day, after Charles Lindbergh left on his historic solo transatlantic flight.  Earhart became the second person to cross the Atlantic solo and the first woman, taking off from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland on May 20, 1932 in her red Lockheed Vega 5B and landing 15 hours later in Londonderry, Ireland.  The flight set several aeronautic records: the first person to cross the Atlantic twice, first woman to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic, and the fastest transatlantic flight-beating Lindbergh by 18 hours.  The flight cemented her celebrity status, leading to her 1934 transpacific flight and her doomed around-the-world attempt in 1937.

For more information about Profiles in History and to download complete catalogs from previous auctions, please visit HYPERLINK “http://www.profilesinhistory.com/

About Profiles in History:
Founded in 1985 by Joseph Maddalena, Profiles in History is the world’s leading auctioneer of Hollywood memorabilia. Profiles in History has held some of the most prestigious and successful auctions of Hollywood memorabilia. Their auctions include costumes, props and set pieces from both vintage and contemporary film, television, and rock ‘n roll. Profiles in History’s location in Calabasas Hills, CA- virtually a stone’s throw away from every major Hollywood studio – ensures a constant flow of fantastic and rare artifacts. With an extensive network of dealers, collectors, and public & private institutions, they are proud to play an important role in the preservation of motion picture history.

Prior Profiles in History Hollywood auctions highlights include the “Cowardly Lion” costume from The Wizard of Oz ($805,000); a full-scale model T-800 Endoskeleton from Terminator 2: Judgment Day ($488,750); a T.I.E. Fighter filming miniature from Star Wars ($402,500); a King Kong six-sheet movie poster ($345,000); the Command Chair from the “U.S.S. Enterprise” ($304,750); Harrison Ford’s hero blaster from Blade Runner ($258,750); the original “Robot” from Lost in Space ($264,500); Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber ($240,000); a Frankenstein one-sheet movie poster ($212,400); the Black Beauty car from The Green Hornet ($192,000); George Reeves’ Superman costume from The Adventures of Superman ($126,500); the H.R. Giger designed Alien creature suit from Alien ($126,500); a full-scale T-Rex head from Jurassic Park ($126,500), the Leaping Alien Warrior figure from Aliens ($126,500), Christopher Reeve’s ‘Superman’ costume from Superman: The Movie ($115,000), C-3PO’s helmet ($120,000),  The Wizard of Oz ‘Winkie’ Guard Costume ($115,000); a “Ming the Merciless” cape from Flash Gordon ($115,000) and the Hydraulic screen-used Velociraptor from The Lost World: Jurassic Park II ($115,000).

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Press Contact:

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