Amazingly rare and historic vintage matte-finish 9.5 x 7.5 photo of astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin raising the United States flag at the Apollo 11 lunar landing site, signed in felt tip by the entire crew: "Neil Armstrong, Tranquility Base, Moon Landing of Apollo 11, 20 July 1969," "Buzz Aldrin," and "M. Collins." Affixed to an 11 x 11 cardstock mount, with affixed caption below. In very good to fine condition, with some creasing and foxing to the mount, and small scattered stains near Armstrong's signature; the autographs of both Armstrong and Aldrin are clear and bold, while the Collins signature has faded to a somewhat indistinct orange color.
Very few photos of Neil Armstrong on the moon exist, as he was the chief photographer during the Apollo 11 EVAs-this remarkable image was taken by the 16mm Data Acquisition Camera that was mounted inside the Lunar Module. It is one of the iconic photographs of the 20th century, captured at the mission's triumphant climax when the stars and stripes were first unfurled on another celestial body. Armstrong's uncommon inclusion of the time and place, added below his signature, make it even more remarkable.
Provenance: Norris McWhirter (1925-2004), by family descent. Norris McWhirter was a British writer, political activist and television presenter, known most famously for founding, with his brother Ross, the Guinness World Records, which they wrote and annually updated together between 1955 and 1975.
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