Apollo 11 Signed First Day Cover. [AND] Correspondences.

ARMSTRONG, Neil; Buzz Aldrin; Michael Collins; Norman Rockwell; Viola Louise Armstrong; James Milnor.

$12,800.00

Item Number: 147209

Rare ‘First Day’ cover, signed by artist Norman Rockwell and the prime Apollo 11 crew members. One page, illustrated with a full-color reproduction of Rockwell’s 1969 painting ‘Behind Apollo 11’ on the cover, 10-cent air mail ‘First Man on the Moon’ postage stamp adhered to the upper right corner which was cancelled in Washington on the date the stamp was issued, September 9, 1969. Signed by each crew member near their respective portrait: “Neil Armstrong,” “Buzz Aldrin,” “sincerely  Norman Rockwell,” and “Michael Collins.” In near fine condition with very light rubbing to the extremities, collector’s caption and mailing address neatly inscribed along the lower edge. Accompanied by eight pieces of ephemera, including: a typed letter fragment from Neil Armstrong’s mother, Viola Louise Armstrong, to the collector James Milnor, offering to sign the ‘First Day’ cover; an autograph letter signed by Viola Armstrong, four pages dated February 119, 1971, the letter reads in part, “How clever of you to conceive the idea of such an unusual and meaningful envelope … You know, I have not seen this painting of Norman Rockwell’s. It really is beautiful. May I keep the photocopy? We have a print of a picture he made in 1968. It is of the Lem having landed on the moon with the astronaut descending and placing his first step on the moon. It is amazing how much the Lem looks like the Apollo 11 Lem and even how much the astronaut’s features look so much like our Neil’s … Gratefully, Viola L. Armstrong;” an autograph letter signed by Viola Armstrong, two pages dated March 7, 1972 with the dated and stamped envelope, the letter reads in part, “I was thrilled to receive a package from you, and even more thrilled when I found a copy of this very special first cover. This is in color, making it even more beautiful … Gratefully, Viola L. Armstrong;” a typed letter signed from Neil Armstrong’s secretary, returning the signed cover and listing the mailing addresses of Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin, one page on ‘National Aeronautics and Space Administration’ stationary and dated May 11, 1971; a photocopy of a typed letter signed from the collector to Colonel Edwin Aldrin requesting a signature, two pages with a set of four envelopes addressed to and from each signer; a photocopy of the ‘First Day’ cover, mounted on cardstock with a lower edge annotation, ‘To Marilyn & David;’ and a typed note, unsigned, dictating the process for organizing this piece, one page, the note reads in part, ‘Not a serious stamp collector but interested nevertheless, I was determined to document the launch in some way. A first day cover! No ordinary envelope or commercial print job would deo. LOOK magazine featured a cover of the astronauts painted by Norman Rockwell which I cut out, pasted on an envelope, and sent it to Washington for cancellation … We have corresponded with the Armstrongs over the years. They are now 83 … The original first day cover as you might guess is in our safe deposit box! jwm.” In near fine to fine condition. A unique piece with of history.

On July 20th 1969, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on the lunar surface. Six hours after landing, Neil Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface; Aldrin joined him 19 minutes later and the two spent over two hours collecting lunar materials. Armstrong's first step onto the lunar surface was broadcast on live TV to a worldwide audience, during which he uttered the historic phrase, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Apollo 11 effectively ended the Space Race and fulfilled a national goal proposed in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy: "before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth."