The Wright Brothers
The Wright brothers / by Fred C. Kelly ; a biography authorized by Orville Wright.
"The Wright Brothers" is remarkable in that it features over 1,000 signatures from legends, pioneers, and other contributors to aviation, making it one of the treasures of the NASM Library. Donated by George A. Page, the autographed book is a testament to his 30-year endeavor to capture the names of aviators and individuals who contributed to the field. An aviator himself, Page was an employee of Curtiss-Wright for 34 years—ultimately attaining the titles of Chief Engineer and Director of Engineering. It was through his professional contacts that Page managed to send a copy of Kelly’s biography to Orville Wright for his autograph. In the ensuing decades, Page would add approximately 1,000 signatures from other aviators. Included among the others who signed Page’s book are historic figures like Charles Lindbergh, Richard E. Byrd, Donald Douglas, Igor Sikorsky, James H. Doolittle, Chuck Yeager, Jacqueline Cochran, and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
A 1943 version with over 1,000 signatures of prominent aviators throughout the text. The book is bound in a blue cloth publishers binding with the title and author information stamped in white on the spine. There is some edge wear to the binding and fraying at the head and tail of the spine. The front board is bumped. The larger issue is the inserts and pressure sensitive tape throughout the binding. Newspaper articles, business cards, photographs and a piece of airplane linen are inserted throughout the binding. The pressure sensitive tape has caused staining. The tape on the title page, partially covering the date that Orville Wright signed the book, is 4cm wide packing tape that will be difficult if not impossible to remove. Some of the inks used for the signatures have caused bleed through. There is a 1cm tear on page 113. Conservators will remove the pressure sensitive tape (where possible), place the ephemera in Mylar and return them to the book, repair the torn pages, and create a double tray box to house the book and the index.
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Adoption Type: Preserve for the Future
