Extraordinary pearl-finish 10 x 12.75 photo of the Mercury 7 astronauts with a recovery capsule taken by Life magazine (and so stamped on reverse and dated May 2, 1961), signed in various inks by Walter W. Schirra, John H. Glenn, Jr. (tracing over his own signature after a failed first attempt), Donald K. Slayton, Virgil I. Grissom, M. Scott Carpenter, Leroy G. Cooper, Jr, and Alan B. Shepard, Jr. An inscription has been added to the top right of the image in Slayton’s hand, and reads, “Best wishes to Mrs. K. E. Grine - the Mercury Astronauts.”
The Mrs. K. E. Grine referred to was the wife of Lt. Col. Ken Grine, who ran the Air Force public affairs office at Cape Canaveral and was remembered as “a role model for dealing with the press,” according to Jay Barbree, who has covered every manned U.S. launch to date as an NBC space correspondent. Grine is cited as being instrumental in developing TV operations for coverage of the Mercury missions. The Mercury 7 astronauts clearly appreciated his efforts and expressed their thanks by inscribing this remarkable photo to his wife. In very good condition, with silvering to darker areas of photo, scattered creasing and corner bends (with a small portion of upper right corner tip missing), Cooper and Schirra’s signature, and Shepard’s signature extremely light, only visible at an angle. Pre-certified Scott Cornish and RRAuction COA.
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