December 7th Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 98:
Description
This is an exceedingly rare and historically significant artifact of the first controlled, sustained flight of a heavier-than-air powered aircraft. The piece consists of a small, framed segment of original fabric from the wings of the 1903 Wright Flyer, the machine flown by Orville Wright on December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The fabric, which shows notable age and staining, is mounted alongside a detailed Certification Document from the Orville Wright Estate. The document is signed by Harold S. Miller, Co-Executor, and clearly states that Orville Wright had replaced the original wing fabric after it was damaged in the Dayton Flood of 1913, but that he had preserved some of the original coverings. The document certifies that this specific piece of fabric was used on the Wright Flyer during the world s first flight, and this particular certification was issued to Harvey and Fay Miller. Authentic, certified fabric from the 1903 Kitty Hawk machine represents one of the most desirable and foundational pieces of aviation history, making this a museum-quality artifact of global importance.
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