First edition, first available at 2017 may 19 space. There have been scattershot, low distribution books but very little of substance. But, beware of many gus grissom autopen autographs being sold as real. Gemini era and later, grissom started using gus more frequently and seldomly signed his full name. The supersonic life and times of gus grissom rescues its subjects reputation by presenting his life and career in full. Comprehensive virgil gus grissom autograph study by steve zarelli space authentication, llc. Save gus grissom autograph to get email alerts and updates on. Note that when used with a fine pen as in the third example below the tail stroke of the g of grissom almost touches the end of the gus before looping back.
He was one of the original seven astronauts selected for nasas project mercury in april 1959. While there was not a lucrative market for forgeries in. Yuri gagarin autograph study zarelli space authentication. Virgil grissom signed book from the sturtevant collection. Mercury 7 first edition signed book signed by all seven. Comprehensive yuri gagarin autograph study by steve zarelli space authentication, llc. I am pleased to see that ray boomhower has finally written a good biography of one of the overlooked heroes of the space program, gus grissom. Back row left to right are alan shepard, virgil gus grissom, and gordon cooper. He became the second american man in space in 1961 when he flew the. He was the second american to fly in space, and the first member of the nasa astronaut corps to fly in space twice grissom. Whether selling your collection or seeking to buy an important piece of sports history, we invite you to experience the best team in all of sports memorabilia.
Lieutenant colonel virgil ivan gus grissom had been part of the u. The book is fascinating and haunting, and its impressive research exonerates grissom from the charge of being a hapless astronaut who, in his peers parlance, screwed the poochthrillingly told, taking readers into the cosmos with grissom. Gus grissom autograph letter signed on liveauctioneers. The envelope is encapsulated by psa and is numbered 81.
One thing i liked about the book is that it didnt focus exclusively on the space program or apollo 1, but rather treated them in context with the rest of grissoms life. As a member of the nasa astronaut corps, grissom was the. Save gus grissom autograph to get email alerts and updates on your ebay feed. Gus grissom boyhood home mitchell 2020 all you need to. This photograph shows apollo 1s command module a day after the fire that took the lives of astronauts lt. An exceptionally desirable vintage photo autographed by one of the toughest mercury 7 to obtain. Virgil ivan gus grissom 19261967 was one of the seven original project mercury astronauts selected by nasa in april 1959. Mercury seven signed grissom glenn shepard rare astronaut. The 1944 winged liberty head dime is one of 52 dimes recovered in 1999 from astronaut gus grissom s spacecraft that sunk to the bottom of the atlantic ocean upon its return to earth on july 21.
Nov 08, 2016 gus grissom had just entered the history books. His story ended in fiery tragedy in a launch explosion. This is a very rare psa dna certified autographed fdc. Gus grissom, one of the original mercury seven astronauts and first astronaut to fly into space twice, whose life was tragically caught short by a fire during a prelaunch test of the apollo 1 command module. Betty lavonne grissom, who successfully sued a nasa contractor after her husband, virgil gus grissom, and two other astronauts died in the 1967 apollo launch pad fire, has died. Grissom worked as a latenight telephone operator for indiana bell while her husband studied mechanical engineering at purdue university. On july 21, 1961, he piloted the liberty bell 7 spacecraft on the second and final suborbital mercury test flight. Lelands is the original sports auction house and the premier appraisers and auctioneers in the hobby. Grissom was one of the seven mercury astronauts selected by nasa in april 1959. Mar 06, 2000 tom wolfes book the right stuff, and the movie that followed, forever shaped public opinion by suggesting that a bumbling, panicked grissom had blown the hatch prematurely.
Signed photograph of gus grissom by virgil ivan gus. He became a leading fighter pilot in the korean war, was a pilot, and would soon take his place nasas first generation of astronauts in its. The most commonlyseen grissom autopen pattern has the gus formed in one pen stroke. Nasas original 7member crew poses here with a mercury atlas model at the langley research center for a photo shoot in 1959. Jan 28, 2014 virgil gus grissom was a nasa astronaut who flew twice in space and was selected to command the first apollo manned mission as well. Signed photograph of the astronaut who tragically perished during a prelaunch test for the apollo 1 mission. On the phone with the president in this image, this authentic signed photo measures 8 x 10. Lieutenant colonel virgil ivan gus grissom april 3, 1926 january 27, 1967 was one of the original nasa project mercury astronauts, a united states air force test pilot and a mechanical engineer. John mccarthy, director of research, engineering, and testing for north american, the aerospace company primarily responsible for building the apollo. It amazes me that there has been so little published on gus grissom or apollo 1. Charles charlie duke signed book moonwalker astronaut. Neil armstrong authentic hand signed sports card nasa apollo 11 astronaut. The book is fascinating and haunting, and its impressive research exonerates grissom from the charge of being a hapless astronaut who, in his peers parlance, screwed the pooch.
He became a leading fighter pilot in the korean war, was a pilot, and would soon take his place nasas first generation of astronauts in its pioneering pursuit of space travel. Print authentically signed by 6 of the mercury 7 astronauts common gus grissom forgery style. Jan 26, 2017 it has been 50 years since the apollo 1 fire killed roger chaffee at cape kennedys launch complex 34 in florida. Gus grissom autograph letter signed lot 6058 rare als signed virgil, one page both sides, 8 x 10, project mercury letterhead, january 8, 1961. Nasas original 7member crew poses here with a mercury atlas model at the langley. The gus grissom stakes, a thoroughbred horse race run in indiana each fall. Grissom in blue ink and is filled out entirely in his hand.
A space biography by carmen bredeson online at alibris. Roger chaffee was a rookie and apollo 1 was going to be his first flight. I just got home from florida and it looks like im going to be home all week and next. Apollo 11 astronaut michael collins signed book liftoff jim lovell fred haise gene kranz authentic hand signed 8x10 nasa apollo. Gus grissom was in the audience and i got to meet him and he signed my pr.
Virgil ivan gus grissom april 3, 1926 january 27, 1967 was an american test pilot and astronaut. Inscribed by author inscribed on ffep, to del and nash with warm regards betty grissom nov. Signed photograph of gus grissom by virgil ivan gus grissom and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Apollo 1 photo from the gene cernan collection, 1966 cernan is a much later signature business card signed by apollo 1 crew, 1966. An 8 x 10 nasa litho print signed in blue ballpoint. Astronauts martin caidin first edition mercury seven signed rare. In the second mercury flight, on july 21, 1961, aboard liberty bell 7, grissom. The late virgil gus grissom finished the final draft of this book just before he, along with ed white and roger chaffee, were killed in the fire inside their apollo spacecraft in 1967. It is authentically hand signed by gus grissom over his image. Gus grissom signed, uninscribed color business suit pose. Find great deals on ebay for gus grissom signed and gus grissom autograph. Buy nasa signed gus grissom original autograph coa, uacc frame plaque, life, dvd.
Betty grissom, who successfully sued a nasa contractor after her husband, virgil gus grissom, and two other astronauts died in the 1967 apollo launchpad fire, died oct. Mar 10, 2014 gus grissoms widow has maintained vigil at ccafs pad 34 every year since the fiery death suffered by her husband, commander gus grissom and fellow astronauts roger chaffee and ed white in 1967. This flight lasted 15 minutes and 37seconds, attained an altitude of 118 statute miles, and traveled 302 miles downrange from the launch pad at cape. As always, comments and feedback are welcome and thank you for your support. Orange cloth over boards with titling in silver on spine.
Mercury seven signed sheet of project mercury stamps. While there was not a lucrative market for forgeries in the 60s as there is today, that doesnt mean that there was no need for fakes to help fill in the demand for autographs. Scott carpenter, gus grissom, alan b shepard, john glenn jr. Gus grissom simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A mere 10 weeks after alan shepard made americas first human flight into space, grissom followed with the second one, a 15minute suborbital hop.
Signed photograph of gus grissom by virgil ivan gus grissom. Oct 22, 2014 in my estimation, grissom is in the top five risky autographs of flown astronauts. Apollo 11 astronaut michael collins signed book liftoff jim lovell fred haise gene kranz authentic hand signed. Sorry to break the bad news to you, but that signature doesnt appear to be a genuine gus grissom signature. Grissom related autographs, signed photographs, historical documents and manuscripts from the worlds largest collection. Gus grissom signed, uninscribed color business suit pose photo. She met gus grissom when she was a freshman and he was a sophomore in high school.
Quite rare in uninscribed portrait photos such as this. To pearl salvick with best wishes from mercury astronauts. Invaluable is the worlds largest marketplace for art, antiques, and collectibles. A tragic end to the lessthanenviable career of gus grissom, who even in death was pilloried by the press and congress, who held a congressional inquiry as to the cause of the accident. He was a project gemini and an apollo program astronaut. Mystery unhatched a kansas museum has new clues about gus. Gus grissom learned to fly airplanes during his stint in the army. View all hotels near gus grissom boyhood home on tripadvisor. Gus was selected as an astronaut after flying over a hundred combat missions in korea. The story of gus grissom signed 1st ed by chappell, carl l edition. Virgil ivan gus grissom april 3, 1926 january 27, 1967 was a united states air force usaf pilot and a member of the mercury seven selected by national aeronautics and space administrations nasa as project mercury astronauts to be the first americans in outer space. The signed bills were at the center of a prank, told in full in russell stills book, relics of the space race.
Jan 27, 20 this photograph shows apollo 1s command module a day after the fire that took the lives of astronauts lt. Eugene gene cernan signed book the last man on the moon. Mercury seven astronauts autographs on a photo originally owned from gus grissom, obtained directly from his son. This is an authentic gus grissom autograph that i got when i was a young girl attending the 1964 purdue may gala in lafayette. Grissom, so i dont think it is an autopen signed letter. Signed photograph of the astronaut who tragically perished during a. Gus grissom autographed signed photograph item 309666. Lost spacecraft focuses on two periods, one beginning in 1959, the other in 1985, interweaving the stories of project mercury, gus grissom and his illfated mercury flight, ongoing developments in deep ocean exploration, and curt newports 14year obsession to raise the sunken spaceage titanic from the depths of the atlantic ocean. Even though the first flights of the mercury program and the moon landings of the apollo program received more press coverage and glory, this was a necessary. Virgil gus grissom autograph study zarelli space authentication. I have a signed letter from gus grissom my mother received in 1962 and am wondering about its value. Virgil grissom gus signed photograph of the astronaut who tragically perished during a prelaunch test for the apollo 1 mission.
Gus grissom signed check from 1965 less than two years before his death. On july 21, 1961, grissom flew into space in the liberty bell 7 spacecraft. Betty grissom, widow of astronaut virgil gus grissom. Boomhower, author and historian from indiana the subject. He died, however, when a fire erupted in his spacecraft in. Virgil grissom gus signed photograph of the astronaut who. Virgil ivan gus grissom from mitchell, indiana was one of the original mercury 7, the first astronauts chosen by nasa in 1959.
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