Signed book: America’s Journey into Space: The Astronauts of the United States. This is a rare Printer’s Proof sent to author Anthony Cipriano before publication, an archetype representing the original pages which were hand numbered and hand corrected. NY: Wanderer Books, 1979. Softcover, 6.75 x 9.5, 193 pages. Signed inside next to their full-page sketches, originally done by renowned space artist William Joffe Numeroff, by all 12 moonwalkers: “Neil Armstrong,” “Buzz Aldrin,” “Charles Conrad Jr.,” “Alan Bean, Apollo 12, Skylab II,” “With regards, Alan Shepard,” “Ed Mitchell,” “To Tony, His Love From the Moon, Jim Irwin / Apollo 15,” “Dave Scott, Gemini VIII / Apollo 9 / Apollo 15,” “Charlie Duke, Apollo 16,” “To Tony, With Thanks & Best Regards, John Young,” “Gene Cernan” and “Jack Schmitt.”
Also signed throughout by 33 Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and Shuttle astronauts, some adding brief inscriptions to the author, Anthony Cipriano, and pertinent mission information. Signers are: Scott Carpenter, D. K. Slayton, Wally Schirra, James A. McDivitt, Frank Borman, James Lovell, Tom Stafford, Dick Gordon,Donn Eisele, Walt Cunningham, Bill Anders, Rusty Schweickart, Jack Swigert, Fred Haise, Mike Collins, Stu A. Roosa, Joe Engle, Al Worden , Ron Evans, Joseph P. Kerwin, Jack Lousma, Jerry Carr, Vance Brand, Karol J. Bobko, Jeff Hoffman, Gordon Fullerton, Joe Allen, Richard Truly, Bruce McCandless II, Dale Gardner, Donald L. Holmquest, and the Apollo/Soyuz Soviet cosmonauts A. Leonov and V. Kubasov. Book is also signed inside by Edward Teller, J. H. Doolittle, Max Faget (designed the original spacecraft for Project Mercury, credited with contributing to the designs of every US human spacecraft from Mercury to the Space Shuttle), W. H. Pickering, NASA Administrators James E. Webb, T. O. Paine, and George M. Low, Robert R. Gilruth, Al Nagy (named the then “Mercury Mark II” program “Gemini”), W. J. Kapryan, Mel Savage,and twelve others.
In fine condition, with some pages loose and a duplicate of pages 41-42 as might be expected in a printer’s proof, and light show-through from a few signatures. Book is housed in a custom navy leather clamshell case with five raised bands on the spine and titles stamped in gilt. Imprinted on the front cover of the case is an illustration of a rocket launch using an actual 1 x 1.75 (visible) piece of Kapton foil to represent the flames. Pre-certified Steve Zarelli and RR Auction COA.
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