[Rarebooks] FS: Scarce, early Aviation archive of failed attempt at an oceanic flight

[Charles Agvent]

One of many unusual items we will be bringing to the New York Book Fair 
at the Park Avenue Armory at 67th St., April 7 - 10.  Please visit us in 
booth D-8.

ARCHIVE OF SIKORSKY S-35 WRECK INCLUDING PHOTOGRAPHS AND A BOOK 
RECOVERED FROM THE CRASH SITE. Archive includes 17 early silver gelatin 
photographs and a book recovered from the crash site, including THE ONLY 
KNOWN IMAGE OF THIS RARE AIRCRAFT TAXING FOR TAKE-OFF. The photographs 
include four images of the Sikorsky S-35 before its ill-fated attempted 
transatlantic flight, one of the plane taxing on the runway, one of the 
Sikorsky hanger, ten of the wreckage, and one of an unidentified person 
with an automobile. The wreckage photographs are quite detailed and 
graphic, showing the extent of the huge fire that engulfed the plane 
when it cracked during takeoff due to landing gear malfunction on 21 
September 1926. The book recovered from the crash is PRACTICAL AVIATION 
INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION by Andrew White, 1918, Wireless 
Press, 197pages with illustrations. Of the four members of the crew, 
Capt. Rene Fonck and co-pilot Lt. Lawrence Curtin escaped. Veteran 
mechanic Jacob Islamoff and radio operator Charles Clavier were killed. 
The plane had been heavily modified to attempt to win the $25,000 Orteig 
Prize for the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris, won the 
following year by Charles Lindbergh in The Spirit of St. Louis. Most 
images slightly light, one torn in half and missing right side, book 
with heavy wear, as one would expect of a well-used book that survived a 
plane crash. Good to Very Good.         $2,500.00

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CHARLES AGVENT
291 Linden Road
Mertztown, PA 19539-8750
610-682-4750
info at charlesagvent.com
Please visit our shop: http://www.charlesagvent.com