Walt Cunningham's official color 18.5 x 14.5 NASA photograph of the first two groups of astronauts selected by NASA, with the front row depicting the original seven Mercury astronauts, who were chosen in April 1959, and the back row showing the 'New Nine' astronauts, who were named in September 1962. The photo is signed in black ink or felt tip by everyone pictured: "Gordon Cooper," "Gus Grissom," "Scott Carpenter," "Wally Schirra," "J. H. Glenn, Jr.," "Alan Shepard," "DK Slayton," "Edward H. White II," "James A. McDivitt," "John Young," "Elliot See," "Charles Conrad, Jr.," "Frank Borman," "Neil Armstrong," "Thomas P. Stafford," and "James Lovell." Archivally triple-matted and framed to an overall size of 27.5 x 23.5. In fine condition, with light overall fading.
Accompanied by a twice-signed certificate of authenticity from Cunningham, who writes: "I was selected as an Astronaut in October 1963 and reported to NASA in December of that year. Overnight, I was sharing an office with some of the most famous people in the world, the Mercury and Gemini Astronauts/ We were always signing things for collectors and fans. It seemed only natural that I would get the signatures of my famous associates on a photo suitable for framing on my office wall. Early in 1964, I began to collect the signatures of the first 16 Astronauts on this photo. By the time I had all their signatures a few months later, I realized it would be a bit awkward to operate alongside them as an equal and, at the same time, to place them on a pedestal by framing their pictures on my office wall. Consequently, my picture was never framed, but was put away at home and forgotten. In March 2006, while looking through some of my space artifacts, I found this photograph signed by each of the first 16 Astronauts. It has been in my possession continuously since personally obtaining their signatures in 1964."
Deriving from the collection of the Apollo 7 LMP, this is a truly historic keepsake that commemorates both the glory and the tragedy of the American space program.
This item is Pre-Certified by STEVE ZARELLI
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