LO I_v_bw_o_n (ca. 1966-67, Boeing Lunar Orbiter manufacturing plant wall displayed panorama)**
Another unicorn, I think. An original ca. 1966/67 Lunar Orbiter I panoramic photograph measuring 3’ 5.5” x 9’ 9.75”.
Yeah, it’s almost 10 feet long…the earth itself is ~15” in diameter!
I was informed by the gentleman I obtained it from, who lives/lived in Seattle, Washington, that it came from the estate of a Boeing employee there, who stated that it was originally tacked to a wall, possibly of a hallway, at the Boeing Missile Production Center, also in Seattle, where the Lunar Orbiter spacecraft were assembled.
I have no doubts regarding the validity of the above assertion. There are in fact ‘vintage’ tack holes in the corners. Although the verso bears no watermark, it is definitely some sort of photographic paper, with a very slight, appealing actually, sepia tone. The jagged appearance of the top edge is an artifact of the imprecise panning of my infernal iPhone. The edge is clean, smooth & straight. Finally, the reflections, dulled appearance, lineations, etc., are due to the two plexiglass panels I placed over the ends of the photograph. Lighting was oblique natural under somewhat overcast conditions.
The photograph is in remarkable condition.
This is the only other reference to a large/larger version of this amazing photograph that I’ve seen:
www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1496
Credit: SPACEREF website
The above query was from 2011, so I’m pretty sure Mr. Cowing has found one by now. 😉
TA-DA:
onlineonly.christies.com/s/science-natural-history/enormo...
LO I_v_bw_o_n (ca. 1966-67, Boeing Lunar Orbiter manufacturing plant wall displayed panorama)**
Another unicorn, I think. An original ca. 1966/67 Lunar Orbiter I panoramic photograph measuring 3’ 5.5” x 9’ 9.75”.
Yeah, it’s almost 10 feet long…the earth itself is ~15” in diameter!
I was informed by the gentleman I obtained it from, who lives/lived in Seattle, Washington, that it came from the estate of a Boeing employee there, who stated that it was originally tacked to a wall, possibly of a hallway, at the Boeing Missile Production Center, also in Seattle, where the Lunar Orbiter spacecraft were assembled.
I have no doubts regarding the validity of the above assertion. There are in fact ‘vintage’ tack holes in the corners. Although the verso bears no watermark, it is definitely some sort of photographic paper, with a very slight, appealing actually, sepia tone. The jagged appearance of the top edge is an artifact of the imprecise panning of my infernal iPhone. The edge is clean, smooth & straight. Finally, the reflections, dulled appearance, lineations, etc., are due to the two plexiglass panels I placed over the ends of the photograph. Lighting was oblique natural under somewhat overcast conditions.
The photograph is in remarkable condition.
This is the only other reference to a large/larger version of this amazing photograph that I’ve seen:
www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1496
Credit: SPACEREF website
The above query was from 2011, so I’m pretty sure Mr. Cowing has found one by now. 😉
TA-DA:
onlineonly.christies.com/s/science-natural-history/enormo...