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Space Exploration Photography and Ephemera: Thomas Furniss's Top Picks
Our auction of Space Exploration Photography and Ephemera on 22 February, features items from the collection of spaceflight correspondent, the late Tim Furniss. Ahead of the auction his son, Thomas Furniss, takes a look at the sale and picks out some of his favourite pieces.
One thing that I have learnt over the last ten years is that there are so many different collectors out there. Whether your interests lie purely with the aesthetic and artistic elements of space photography, or whether you might only be focussed on something from a historical perspective. My personal preference is that of the NASA photographs that I can relate to by seeing human emotion, in particular those from the Mercury era. I guess the point I am trying to make here is that there is no right or wrong way to collect, it is just down to personal taste. This is something that I have tried to take into account with my own consignment.
With that being said, here are some of my favourite lots available in the auction from my own collection and other consignments.
Thomas Furniss's Top Picks
No. 1
Lot 166: NASA Spacesuit "Familiarization and Operations Manual" prepared under contract No NAs 9-6100 for the use pertinent to Model A7L and intended for the use of all personnel engaged in Apollo suit activities | Est. £200-400 (+ fees)
Provenance: from the Tim Furniss collection
"This was the very manual that my father brought back with him following the Apollo 13 mission in 1970 after visiting NASA to try on a space suit. If you are after something unique, with a fantasic provenance behind it, then I couldn’t suggest anything better. One can only imagine the hands this may have passed through."
No. 2
Lot 57: James McDivitt: First frame from a photographic sequence, Ed White performs the first American spacewalk, shown here over Hawaii, 3 June 1965 | Est. £1,000-2,000 (+ fees)
Provenance: from the Tim Furniss collection
"Taken by James McDivitt during Gemini IV in 1965, this superb shot features astronaut Ed White floating in zero gravity against the backdrop of the Earth’s curve. This landmark occasion marked the first ever spacewalk by an American astronaut and is one of the most sought-after NASA photographs available to this day. An absolute classic."
No. 3
Lot 235: Neil Armstrong: Buzz Aldrin with the U.S. flag, his face visible inside the visor, Apollo 11, 20 July 1969 | Est. £800-1,200 (+ fees)
Provenance: from the Tim Furniss collection
"This stunning large format photograph of Buzz Aldrin during Apollo 11 in 1969 actually captures the astronaut’s expression through his visor as he proudly faces the American flag on the lunar surface. Photographs of this size were typically used for scientific or presentation purposes and are extremely rare on the open market. Combine this with the fact that it is one of the greatest NASA images of all time, this is a must-have item."
No. 4
Lot 424: First untethered spacewalk by Bruce McCandless, STS-41B, 3-11 Feb 1984 | Est. £300-500 (+ fees)
Provenance: from the Tim Furniss collection
"Once again, we have another large format photograph, this time mounted on a dimpled, white presentation board. The image in question features astronaut Bruce McCandless II performing the first ever untethered spacewalk in 1984. McCandless famously quoted 'It was a wonderful feeling, a mix of personal elation and professional pride: it had taken many years to get to that point.' A beautiful photograph and my personal favourite."
No. 5
Lot 256: Buzz Aldrin: Neil Armstrong inside the Lunar Module after the moonwalk, 20 July 1969 | Est. £1,000-1,500 (+ fees)
"This wonderfully candid image of Neil Armstrong was taken in the command module shortly after he became the first man on the moon during Apollo 11. His expression says more than I ever could, I think this is a feeling we can all relate to at some point in our lives."
No. 6
Lot 145: William Anders: The most celebrated image of the Earth rising above the Moon's horizon, 24 December 1968 16.49 GMT | Est. £4,000-6,000 (+ fees)
"One of my hobbies outside of space exploration is collecting basketball cards. If I were to compare the two subjects, I would say this is the Michael Jordan rookie card of NASA photographs. It is ‘the’ image to own and the one by which all standards are set. The perfect juxtaposition of beauty and prestige."
AUCTION DETAILS
Tuesday 22 February | 12 noon GMT
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE
