The most sought-after item in the collection was her pair of famed Luxor No.6 flying goggles. Worn by Earhart when she experienced her first crash in July 1921 while learning to fly with Neta Snook, the goggles still evidenced a cracked lens. The bidding opened at $10,000 and escalated to a final sales price of $17,775.
Also featured in the collection were 20 never-seen-before unpublished gelatin silver prints that were sold individually. The two photos in particular which captured the hearts of collectors were a silver gelatin print of Earhart, signed and inscribed by her and dated 1937. The photo snapped for $2,100. The second photo that tripled its high estimate was another photo of Earhart, signed and inscribed “To my friends of the radio audience.”
This image sold for $3,200.
Bidding for Clars auctions is available in person, by phone, absentee and live online at www.clars.com. To register to bid, call Clars at (888) 339-7600.