5 large photos Richard E Byrd 1st Antarctic Expedition

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5 large photos Richard E Byrd 1st Antarctic Expedition I am selling 5 very large photographs from Richard E. Byrd's First Antarctic Expedition. Three of the photos are pencil signed by the official photographer of the expedition, Captain Ashley C. McKinley. 4 of the five photos are mounted to board. These photos are 17" by 11.5" (20" by 15" if you include the board. The other photo (close-up of ship) is 20" by 16". Photos on board had captions but most of the captions have worn off (see detailed photos below for close-up views). Commander Byrd's first expedition occurred From 1928 to 1930. The Byrd Expedition was the first American expedition to explore Antarctica since the U. S. Exploring Expedition under Charles Wilkes in 1840. The expedition launched a revival of interest in the Antarctic for Americans, an area much in the public mind during the early 1800's. The exploring expedition organized by Richard E. Byrd in 1928 may be considered the first of the mechanical age of exploration in Antarctica. The program was the first of its kind to utilize the airplane, aerial camera, snowmobile and massive communications resources. Although Sir Hubert Wilkins, on November 6, 1928, was the first to fly an airplane in Antarctica, he preceded Byrd by only ten weeks. (Byrd first flew on January 15, 1929). However, Byrd's flights, made with three planes (Ford monoplane, Fokker Universal and a Fairchild monoplane), were much more significant than Wilkins since they were made in higher latitudes and were tied in with ground surveys. Sir Douglas Mawson was the first to use radio in the Antarctic, and the whalers, RRS DISCOVERY, the Norwegian exploring ship NORVEGIA and Sir Wilkins had all been using radio in the Antarctic at the time the Byrd Expedition entered the field but Byrd's use of communications equipment overshadowed that of the others as regular wireless communications were established with the outside world, as well as with all flights and field parties. As Byrd put it, "...this single department received more attention than any other, for our program called for the most elaborate system of communication ever proposed in a Continent w radio conditions are notoriously bad". Assistance was provided for the selection of equipment by the US Navy, the New York Times and several corporations. Five radio engineers were assigned to the communications team. Although very costly, a total of 24 transmitters and 31 receivers were supplied for the two expedition ships, the main base at Little America, three airplanes, three dog teams and two sub-bases. As for photography, Wilkins took photos from his plane while in flight, but they were taken with a hand-held camera. On the Byrd Expedition, Captain Ashley McKinley used a Fairchild K-3 for aerial mapping -- the finest camera available at the time for this purpose. I have purchased part of an estate of an early American aviator Frederick G. (Jerry) Phillips. His many accomplishments included (1) the co-inventor and pilot of a "flying car" called the Arrowbile, (2) membership in the Secret Society of Quiet Birdmen, (3) working in Hollywood as an aerial photographer for Howard Hughes in many Howard Hughes' movies, and (4) collecting weapons with William Randolph Hearst. I will be listing over 100 items from this estate over the next several weeks. Highlights of this estate sale are: (1) Many candid photographs of Howard Hughes and one letter hand signed by Hughes, (2) Many 1920s and 1930s Hollywood Celebrity photographs personally signed and inscribed to Jerry, including a beautiful photo of Shirley Temple at a very early age with a long hand written note, (3) 5 large (20"x14") photographs of Commander Byrd's first Antarctic expedition, pencil signed by the official photographer of the exhibition (Captain Ashley McKinley), and (4) a spectacular 140+ page leather bound Quiet Birdmen Pilot Portrait Album, hand signed by many early USA aviation giants. I will combine multiple purchases for savings on shipping. Pay full price shipping for most expensive shipping item... read more

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