Memorabilia from Famous Lost Aviator Found at Heritage!

DALLAS, TEXAS: Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers (HG&A) will offer several intriguing personal items that once belonged to famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart in their upcoming Political Memorabilia & Americana Auction, to be held on December 15 & 16, 2005 in Dallas, Texas. "Amelia Earhart was a pioneer in the field of women's aviation," said Tom Slater, Director of Political Memorabilia & Americana for HG&A. "She entered the field of aviation at a time when it was considered a 'men's only' affair, and quickly made her mark. Of course, her fame grew exponentially after her last fateful flight, in which she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 3, 1937 during her attempt to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. Today, the name Amelia Earhart is synonymous with not only aviation and flying, but with courage and daring."

"We're very proud to offer three unique pieces of Amelia Earhart memorabilia," Slater said, "all of which came from the estate of Mariette Lydis, a close friend of Earhart's and a well-known artist in her own right. Earhart gave these pieces to Lydis on one of her frequent overseas trips, and Lydis treasured them for the rest of her life. In fact, they are mentioned in Lydis' will as having belonged to Earhart. The provenance on these spectacular items is superb, and these museum-quality pieces represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Amelia Earhart's many fans and admirers."

"The first item to be offered," Slater said, "is one of Earhart's leather flying caps. This wool-lined cap, with its snap fittings, bears Earhart's personal stamp on the interior and is in excellent condition. Although there are few pictures extant of Earhart wearing a cap, the ones that do exist show a cap much like this one. We believe that this cap was actually worn in flight by the famous aviatrix."

"Next is a pair of aviation goggles," Slater said, "that represent a very rare opportunity for the Earhart collector. It's known that Amelia disliked wearing goggles and, in fact, only put them on when she approached the runway, removing them as soon as her landing was complete. Whatever her personal feelings about eyewear, however, she realized that there was no substitute for a good pair of goggles, as they provided the aviator with improved distance, depth perception, glare and haze suppression, all matters of life and death for a pilot. Tinted dark green and lined with wool - although most of the wool has worn away in the intervening years - these goggles are a fascinating touchstone to the life and career of Amelia Earhart."

"Last, but by no means least," Slater continued, " is the pièce de résistance of this collection, a beautiful flight jacket worn and flown by Earhart. Flyers originally took to wearing leather jackets as early airplane cabins were not pressurized and, consequently, quite cold, especially at high altitudes. This jacket, which also bears Earhart's personal stamp, was made by a company called 'English Fashion Waterproofs' and is lined with silk, which is unusual, as most flyer's jackets were lined with wool. This is a stunning piece which beautifully completes the Earhart triumvirate that we are privileged to present."

"Personal material owned and flown by Earhart is rarely offered at public auction," said Slater, "making this trio of items especially significant. An opportunity to own items of this caliber may never come again, so I would urge interested collectors to consider these three pieces very seriously."

The Amelia Earhart Flight Cap carries a pre-auction estimate of $2,500 - $3,000.
The Amelia Earhart Flight Goggles bear a pre-auction estimate of $2,500 - $3,000.
The Amelia Earhart Flight Jacket has a pre-auction estimate of $10,000 - $15,000.

For more information about Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HeritageGalleries.com.

Potential consignors are invited to contact Tom Slater, TomS@HeritageGalleries.com, or by phone at 800-872-6467, ext. 441 or contact John Hickey at JohnH@HeritageGalleries.com, or by phone at 800-872-6467, ext. 264.

To reserve your copy of a catalog for any upcoming Heritage auction, please contact Nicole Jewell, c/o Heritage Galleries, 3500 Maple Avenue, 17th Floor, Dallas, TX 75219, or call 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272.