Details
RICHARD EVELYN BYRD, (1888-1957).
Autograph letter signed by Joseph T. Rucker, also by Willard Van der Veer, 'Paramount Twins', to Dr. [Emanuel] Stern, Little America [Antartica], 28 November 1929.informing him of their intention to send on Byrd's aeroplane Floyd Bennett 'an American flag [present in the lot] to be carried over the South Pole on its flight today', printed heading 'Byrd Antarctic Expedition Motion Picture Staff Willard Van der Veer Joseph T. Rucker Paramount Famous Lasky Corpn Antarctic Bureau' with Paramount Logo, one page, 4to, traces of mount along upper and lower edges; also, envelope, SIGNED with initials on recto by Byrd 'Reb' and stamped 'Nov 28/29', US Air Mail stamp and postmark New York City, 19 February 1930, two fields of envelope slit, braces of mount, tear.
FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (48 stars), colours on silk, 125 x 176 mm., lightly mounted on card, slight glue stains and traces of paper mount along upper edge. Together with a printed Menu (incorporating 'Bombe Admiral Byrd') having portrait of Byrd, signed 'R.E. Byrd' and inscribed to Stern 'with cordial regards'.
In 1928-30 Byrd led a private expedition to Antarctica with the intention of emulating at the South Pole his achievement of 1926 when he and Floyd Bennett made the first flight over the North Pole. The expedition was well equipped with three aircraft all adapted for high attitude flying in cold conditions, 95 dogs and a team of over 50 men. Byrd established a base camp east of the Bay of Whales which he named Little America (a few miles from the site of Amundsen's old winter quarters). Although much valuable scientific investigation took place, it was not until November 1929 that conditions were suitable and stores positioned for the flight to the South Pole. Byrd and three companions took off in a three-engine, 975-horsepower Ford (named after his flying companion who had died in 1927) which could carry a six-ton load at 125 m.p.h. They left Little America at 3.29 a.m. on 28 November, reached the South Pole at 1.15 p.m. and were back at base by 8.30 p.m. The hazardous journey included the successful navigation of a pass created by a glacier (the plane could not climb high enough to fly over the mountains) and the jettisoning of their emergency food supplies. The journey which had taken Amundsen 90 days and from which Scott did not return was accomplished in 15 hours and 51 minutes.
Paramount produced a film With Byrd at the South Pole complete with music and narration in 1930. The cinematographers were Van de Veer and Rucker. (4)
Autograph letter signed by Joseph T. Rucker, also by Willard Van der Veer, 'Paramount Twins', to Dr. [Emanuel] Stern, Little America [Antartica], 28 November 1929.informing him of their intention to send on Byrd's aeroplane Floyd Bennett 'an American flag [present in the lot] to be carried over the South Pole on its flight today', printed heading 'Byrd Antarctic Expedition Motion Picture Staff Willard Van der Veer Joseph T. Rucker Paramount Famous Lasky Corpn Antarctic Bureau' with Paramount Logo, one page, 4to, traces of mount along upper and lower edges; also, envelope, SIGNED with initials on recto by Byrd 'Reb' and stamped 'Nov 28/29', US Air Mail stamp and postmark New York City, 19 February 1930, two fields of envelope slit, braces of mount, tear.
FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (48 stars), colours on silk, 125 x 176 mm., lightly mounted on card, slight glue stains and traces of paper mount along upper edge. Together with a printed Menu (incorporating 'Bombe Admiral Byrd') having portrait of Byrd, signed 'R.E. Byrd' and inscribed to Stern 'with cordial regards'.
In 1928-30 Byrd led a private expedition to Antarctica with the intention of emulating at the South Pole his achievement of 1926 when he and Floyd Bennett made the first flight over the North Pole. The expedition was well equipped with three aircraft all adapted for high attitude flying in cold conditions, 95 dogs and a team of over 50 men. Byrd established a base camp east of the Bay of Whales which he named Little America (a few miles from the site of Amundsen's old winter quarters). Although much valuable scientific investigation took place, it was not until November 1929 that conditions were suitable and stores positioned for the flight to the South Pole. Byrd and three companions took off in a three-engine, 975-horsepower Ford (named after his flying companion who had died in 1927) which could carry a six-ton load at 125 m.p.h. They left Little America at 3.29 a.m. on 28 November, reached the South Pole at 1.15 p.m. and were back at base by 8.30 p.m. The hazardous journey included the successful navigation of a pass created by a glacier (the plane could not climb high enough to fly over the mountains) and the jettisoning of their emergency food supplies. The journey which had taken Amundsen 90 days and from which Scott did not return was accomplished in 15 hours and 51 minutes.
Paramount produced a film With Byrd at the South Pole complete with music and narration in 1930. The cinematographers were Van de Veer and Rucker. (4)