Heavy stock menu page, 9.5 x 12.25, printed at the top, in French, (translated): “Dinner hosted by the Aero Club of France in honor of Wilbur Wright 5 November 1908 in la Salle des Fêtes of the Automobile-Club of France.” Menu also features a photograph of Wilbur Wright flying with French aviator Paul Tissandier aboard is at top center; Wilbur has signed just beneath the photograph in black ink. Trimmed left edge, central horizontal crease as well as a few other creases, none of which affect the bold signature, otherwise fine condition.
Wright traveled to Paris in May to demonstrate the capabilities of the Wright airplane in Europe, and in August made the Wrights’ first flight in Europe at Le Mans. Wright’s presence overseas was celebrated at the aforementioned dinner, with the US media covering the event. Stories that ran in US newspapers touted ‘Wilbur Wright, the American aeroplanist, whose remarkable achievements during the past few months in this country have placed him in the forefront of the distinguished men who have been solving the problem of the air’ and described his being the ‘guest of honor at the dinner of the Aero Club of France, at which M. Jean Barthou, the Minister of Public Works, presided. Less than four weeks later, the Wright Brothers organized a French airplane company, La Compagnie Générale de Navigation Aérienne, and December 31, Wilbur Wright won the 1908 Michelin Cup with a record flight of about 77 miles in two hours, 18 minutes, 33.6 seconds. His death from typhoid fever four years later at age 45 makes his signature extremely rare in any form. This signed menu was exhibited at ‘Orville and Wilbur —The Wright Brothers Legacy’ at the Dayton Art Institute in 2003 and at the Virginia Air & Space Center in 2003-2004 during the nationwide Wright Brothers flight centennial celebration. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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