Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 107

The Manuscript & Collectibles Auction

Military

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 199		Rare Sterling Silver Commemorative Medal for Hirohito's Trip To Europe, Struck in 1921 by the Japanese Mint. Struck Taisho Year 10 (1921) sterling silver medal from the Japanese mint commemorating Crown Prince Hirohito's (future Showa Emperor) trip to Europe where he visited Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy. On verso is the Battleship Katori in Yokoham Port. Marked 950 on edge and in extremely fine conditiion nice relief of the Prince and an even better engraving of the battleship on verso. 24½ mm and 9 grams. Estimate Value $200 - UP View details and enlarged photos	Realized $132
Lot 200		Pair of Kendo Medals/Pendants. Two striking pair of Kendo medals very popular as pendants. Both having great designs and appeal. Note the one medal in the shape of a tsuba. Estimate Value $200 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Realized $125
Lot 201		Paul Tibbetts, Pilot of the Enola Gay, Signed Photo and Charles Sweeney, Pilot of Bockscar, Three Signed Photos. Paul Tibbets (1915-2007) was a highly decorated brigadier general in the United States Air Force. He is best known as the pilot who flew the Enola Gay (named after his mother) when it dropped Little Boy, the first of two atomic bombs used in warfare, on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Offered is a fine 8x 10" black and white photo of the Enola Gay, idle on a runway, with Tibbets inscribing "For Michele- best wishes, Paul Tibbets". A great photo with Tibbet's signature especially nice. Also included are three different images of Charles Sweeney (1919-2004) who was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and the pilot who flew Bockscar carrying the Fat Man atomic bomb to the Japanese city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. Offered are three different 8 x 10" signed stills. 1.) Signed photo of his B-29 with the logo/name Bockscar clearly evident. 2.) Signed image of the bomb detonation 3.) A later in his career image stepping into a fighter jet. All pieces in excellent condition. Estimate Value $250 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Realized $96
Lot 202		B-17 Bomber Painted by Fritz Willis, Gift of Studio Head Jack Warner to Lt. General Henry H. Arnold (1942). Spectacular art, gouache and ink on paper of the Boeing B-17D Bomber by acclaimed illustrator, Fritz Willis (1907-1979). After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, legendary director Howard Hawks, approached Lt. General Henry "Hap" Arnold, Commanding General of the Army Air Forces to assist with a film based on the experiences of a flight of B-17s, specifically the crew of the Mary-Ann that left Hamilton Field, California, on the night of December 6, 1941, and literally flew into the war the next morning at Pearl Harbor. That movie was the World War II film classic, "AIR FORCE" starring John Garfield, Arthur Kennedy, Gig Young, Harry Carey, directed by Hawks and produced by Jack Warner. Warner wanted this film ready for the anniversary of Pearl Harbor which then mobilized all the studios to produce films for the cause. The greatest contribution by Hollywood to the war effort was morale. Many of the movies produced during the war were patriotic rallying cries that affirmed a sense of national purpose. Combat films of the war years emphasized patriotism, group effort, and the value of individual sacrifices for a larger cause. To that end Jack Warner reached to his then in-studio artist and production designer Fritz Willis to create this special commission as a thank you to Lt. General Arnold in his making available a variety of planes for the production of the film "AIR FORCE" as well as access to personnel with technical expertise. The film is now considered a war-time classic. The artist Fritz Willis eventually left Warner Brothers and became one of the landmark commercial artists of the 20th Century, and a legend for his extraordinarily sensual pin-up art, highly prized and collected world-wide. Therefore, the uniqueness of this piece cannot be overstated. Art is 26 x 20" and framed to 36 x 30". There is a typed, torn and heavily taped notation that mentions the provenance saying Arnold gave Warner the painting which makes little sense given the artist was working at Warner Brothers. We feel it much more likely the other way around. Estimate Value $2,000 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 203		Early Travel Materials Focusing On Japan, Post WWII, plus Early Aviation Materials. Collection of rarely seen vintage material regarding the Western approach to Japan post WWII. The most unusual is a very well done Guide to Japan issued by the US Army in September, 1945 that can best be described as a cultural, historical and respectful evaluation of a country the US was at war with only months prior. Includes maps, photos, art and printed inside back page an open letter by Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz with the final sentences: "Now we turn to the great tasks of reconstruction and restoration. I am confident that we will be able to apply the same skill, resourcefulness and keen thinking to these problems as were applied to the problems of winning the victory." The second is a massive 600 page published history and encyclopedia with photos distributed by Fujiya Hotel Ltd. in 1949 entitled "We Japanese". This book is a marvel even by today's standards, full of customs, history and cultural traditions. In excellent condition. The balance of the collection involves other post WWII era Japanese guides, all adding up to a phenomenal campaign in bringing Japan to the fore. Also early JAL airline ephemera. Estimate Value $100 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Realized $88