Auction Closed
July 20, 09:53 PM GMT
Estimate
5,000 - 8,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
FLOWN TO THE LUNAR SURFACE ON APOLLO 14 — THE 🅠KING JAMES BIBLE TEXT FRAGMEꩲNT
50-PAGE MICROFORM FRAGMENT FROM THE KING JAMES VERSION OF THE BIBLE. Cleveland and Ne🦩w York: W💝orld Publishing Co., Ca 1964
FLOWN 50-page microform fragment (1/4 by 1/4 inches), housed in a silvered and gilt metal modern Fabergé egg, applied with gilt bows and swags, the reeded stem applied with gilt floral swags and 3 small agate cabochons. Amethyst finial reattached. Blue velvet box, with a brass plaque affixed to the front that reads "Apollo 14 | Lunar Surface Bible Text Fragment | 50 Pages." Accompanied by: A letter of certificat🦋ion SIGNED by JAMES W. STOUT of the "Apollo Prayer League Committee" and EDGAR D. MITCHELL, and dated 2 June 2001.
ONE OF ONLY 32 ASTRONAUT FLIGHT-CERTIFIED TEXT FRA🐽GMENTS FROM THE FIRST BI🐼BLE CARRIED TO THE SURFACE OF THE MOON
With the efforts to take the Bible to the Moon on Apollo 12 and 13 having failed, a third, successful attempt was made with the assistance of Apollo 14 Lunar Module Pilot Edgar D. Mitchell. Given NASA’s weight restrictions, rather than a large heavy codex, a new microform technology known as “PCMI” introduced by the National Cash Register Company in 1964 was adopted. Mitchell carried 100 of the microform bibles aboard the Lunar Module Antares, as confirmed by NASA's official manifest, and they reached the "Fra Mauro Highlands" of the Moon on 5 February aboard the Antares. Once returne🔯d to Earth and released from lunar quarantine, Mitchell presented Rev. John Stout with the packet of 100 bibles.
PROVENANCE
Reverend John M. Stout (transported t🍰o the lunar surface and returned to Rev. Stout by astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell)