Extremely rare Apollo color television camera mount, measuring 9″ in length, stenciled with several different part numbers and stamps. The mount uses an innovative design of scribed colored lines on the ball-joint; when matching colors are aligned at designated points, it provides instant correct pointing of the TV camera to the desired window or location inside the Command Module. The camera itself would slide into the triangular ‘dove-tail’ type shoe clamp mechanism on top of the ball joint. The bottom of the base has a black painted background with the following multi-colored engravings: “MDC” which is the Main Display Console—this position will show most of the control panel having most of the dials and switches used during spacecraft operations; “RH” Right Hand; “LEB” (Lower Equipment Bay—this angle shows the lower right side below the area of the crew couches); “MDC” (Main Display Console right side) and “RNDZ WNDW” (Rendezvous Window—this points the TV camera through the forward looking rendezvous and docking window. This was the pointing angle most commonly used when viewers on earth witnessed the initial transposition and docking with the Lunar Module just after Translunar Injection to the moon and the undocking of the LM prior to the lunar landing plus the rendezvous and docking after returning from the moon. The other side has engravings for the same except for being on the left side (interior views) of the Command Module. These labeled settings were used in conjunction with different bracket/camera mounting points inside the Command Module. Accompanied by copies of four pages from the Apollo Operations Handbook, detailing the television equipment, its placement, and a diagram of the camera mount. This mount is the first of its type ever offered for auction and represents a remarkable and prolific design, which would connect the astronauts not only to Mission Control, but also to the living rooms of transfixed viewers. RR Auction COA.
