December 2016 Auction Ends Thursday, December 15th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/15/2016
Signed photo by Wilbur Wright, Orville Wright, President Taft and a handful of others during the Wrights' visit to the White House on 10 June 1909 to receive medals from the Aero Club of America. At this time, the Wright Brothers and their sister Katharine were among the most sought after celebrities in the world, having just completed very successful exhibition flights in Europe and the United States, as required by the U.S. Army with whom they signed a contract to build a ''flying machine''. Until this time, skeptics were reluctant to believe that the Wright Brothers were able to successfully pilot an airplane, but the Wrights' fluency in the air caused doubters to not only reverse their criticism, but issue public apologies and lavish praise upon the aviators. At the end of 1908, their influence was so widespread that they even changed women's fashion, with the hobble skirt (narrowed at the ankles so as not to flare up during flight) becoming mainstream shortly after the flights. Silver gelatin 9.25'' x 7'' matte photograph is by Harris & Ewing, mounted to a visible size of 11.75'' x 8.5'' upon which the individuals sign their names: ''Wilbur Wright'', ''Orville Wright'', ''Wm H Taft'', ''Katharine Wright'', aviator ''A. Holland Forbes'', aviator ''Alan R. Hawley'', automotive pioneer ''Chas Jerome Edwards'', Assistant Secretary of War ''Robert Shaw Oliver'' and three others. Matted to a size of 16.25'' x 14.25''. Some paper loss to left side of mat, closed tear to right side, and crack starting along bottom. Light sheen has been applied to mount, likely from previous restoration to repair cracks. Some dampstainig to lower edge. Overall in good condition with very bold and clear signatures.
Extremely Rare Wilbur & Orville Wright Signed Photo -- Also Signed by President Taft During a 1909 Visit by the Wright Brothers to the White House
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