'One of the most striking pieces of Gemini memorabilia we've seen in years'

Following an extraordinary Apollo 11 piece, an space memorabilia auction has a gem from Gemini

As we've reported, Ira and Larry Goldberg's space auction on July 10 in Los Angeles is offering a truly spectacular piece of Apollo 11 memorabilia - indeed the company claims it is the "most important piece of Apollo 11 memorabilia ever offered".

This is a fragment of the US flag which was taken to the moon for planting, previously part of the collection of Thomas L Moser. Moser was directly responsible for creating the flag such that it was easy to carry and assemble.

Moser kept hold of a slim set of red, white and blue cloth, which appears here attached to a presentation plaque, accompanied by photographs of the flag-planting.

As an added bonus Moser's near neighbour of the time, a certain Neil Armstrong, signed the plaque soon after the mission. His signature has increased in value rather a lot in recent times, as the PFC40 index notes.

It would be hard to match that, and the auction doesn't hold anything else quite in that league. But there are a couple of other exceptional pieces for fans of space history, one of which shares Neil Armstrong's signature.

A piece of history... the signed Gemini lithograph

This is a Gemini Program, c1965, signed "Space Capsule" Colour Lithograph. The Gemini program was of course the pioneering series of missions preceding the Apollo programme.

A striking lithograph (framed to 17x21"), it is signed around the capsule, including some of the most legendary astronauts of all: Gus Grissom, Frank Borman, Charles Conrad, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, James Lovell, John Young, Edward White, Wally Schirra, Robert Gordon and Dave Scott.

All of the autographs are clear and bold. The auctioneer describes it as "one of the cleanest and most striking Gemini pieces of memorabilia we have seen in years." It is expected to sell for $7,500-10,000 and will make someone a wonderful alternative investment.

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www.paulfrasercollectibles.com

Image: Ira and Larry Goldberg