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Click here to subscribeMars, the first panoramic photograph taken by Viking 1, the first lander on the planet Viking 1, 20 July 1976 Vintage gelatin silver print on fibre-based paper, 25.3 x 20.5 cm (10 x 8 in), BLACK NUMBERED NASA S-76-27211 Condition Report: Light processing marks to emulsion in lower portion of the image, light annotation in pencil on verso, otherwise very good Condition Report Disclaimer
Harrison Schmitt Telephotographs of the moonscape at Taurus-Littrow site Apollo 17, 7-19 December 1972 Four vintage gelatin silver prints on fibre-based paper, each 25.4 x 20.3 cm (10 x 8 in), BLACK NUMBERED NASA AS17-139-21226, NASA AS17-139-21265, NASA AS17-144-22015 and NASA AS17-144-22105 in top margin (NASA Manned Spacecraft Center) Footnotes: Large massifs are located on either side of Apollo 17's landing site in the 7-km wide valley of Taurus-Littrow, called the North and South Massifs, respective to their geographic location in relation to each other. The height of these massifs gives the valley a depth greater than that of the Grand Canyon in the United States. The crest of the highest mountain, the South Massif, rises 2,500 meters above the valley floor. Schmitt took the photographs with the Hasselblad equipped with the 500mm telephoto lens. The first two were taken from station 9 toward the North Massif, with the second showing boulder tracks; the third from station 2A toward the South Massif showing boulders and outcrops; the fourth from the LM toward the summit of the North Massif, just west of Wessex Cleft
A view of Bruce McCandless floating freely during the first ever untethered spacewalk, accompanied by a striking view of the cargo bay photographed by McCandless during the same EVA Space Shuttle "Challenger" STS-41B, 7 February 1984 One vintage gelatin silver print on resin-coated paper, 25.3 x 20.5 cm (10 x 8 in), NASA numbered in margin S34-27017, with THIS PAPER MANUFACTURED BY KODAK watermarks, and one vintage chromogenic print on resin-coated paper, 25.3 x 20.5 cm (10 x 8 in), with THIS PAPER MANUFACTURED BY KODAK watermarks Provenance: from the Jacques Tiziou collection
The first photo to show the sun and the curvature of the Earth, taken from about 300 miles above the Earth during an Air Force Thor missile flight from Cape Canaveral; with the first photograph to the Earth and its cloud cover obtained by a satellite (paddlewheel satellite Explorer 6) 24 July 1959/14 August 1959 One vintage gelatin silver print on fibre-based paper, 18 x 23 cm (7 x 9 in), a press photograph with a date stamp on verso (7 Aug 1959), with another vintage gelatin silver Wirepress print on fibre-based paper, 25.3 x 20.6 (10 x 8 in), with Wirepress stamp, date stamps (28 and 29 September 1959) and publisher's notes on verso Condition Report: Small marks and annotations in biro on the fronts, date stamps and and publisher's remarks annotated versos (images not affected), overall very good for the age Condition Report Disclaimer
Two pre-launch views of the crew, James McDivitt and Ed White, with further two views of the lift off and the mission control room during the first American spaceflight to conduct a spacewalk Gemini 4, May-June 1965 Four vintage gelatin silver prints on fibre-based paper, 25.3 x 20.3 cm (10 x 8 in), one BLACK NUMBERED NASA S-65-19515, all with NASA captions numbered 65-H-890 and 65-H-909, 65-H-909 and S-65-19515 and RCA stamps on the verso
10 Various Stuart First Day Covers inc Royal Microscopical Society, Thomas Hardy, Industrial Archaeology And The Honorary Company Of Edinburgh Golfers. Good condition. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £4.99, EU from £6.99, Rest of World from £8.99
13 x GB And German First Day Covers, Flown Covers And Last Day Covers Including IX British Commonwealth Games, Halfpenny Green Last Day And Decimal Definitives. Good condition. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £4.99, EU from £6.99, Rest of World from £8.99
Miscellaneous GB coin packs and crowns, including Decimal Coinage of GB and NI 1971 set x 2, Coinage of GB and NI 1970 x 2; 50 pence x 2, Births, Deaths and Marriages Centenary coin 1837-1937; Elizabeth and Phillip crowns 1972; quantity of commemorative wedding crowns and seven Britain's First Decimal Coin pouches.
Enid Blyton Adventures, first editions 1944 The Island of Adventures; 1946 The Castle of Adventure; 1947 The Valley Adventure; 1948 The Mystery of the Secret Room; 1948 The Sea of Adventure in dust jacket; 1949 The Mountain Adventure; 1955 The River of Adventure; 1958 The Ship of Adventures (reprint in dust jacket); together with a quantity of annuals including Boys Annual, Girls Annual, Bobby Bears Annual; The Wizard Book for Boys; The Okay Adventure Annual; Collins Schoolboys Annual, Daily Mail Annual for Boys and Girls; Playbox Annual; The Story of Kidnapped; Pip & Squeak Annual 1925; Enid Blytons Lucky Story Book, Peter Pan and Wendy x 3, Westward HO Charles Kingsley 1930; 1948 The River Windrush; 1910 Robin Hood Favourite Tales and The Mystery of the Hidden House.
Vintage Science Fiction comics, including Tales of Suspense #24 (first appearance of Insect Man, story written by Stan Lee, cover art Jack Kirby); five Mystery in Space #9,77,91,96,102,107; Challengers of the Unknown 1963, 64 and 1971; two From Beyond the Unknown 1972; Adventures of the Unknown 1963, Astounding Stories #27.38,40,64,81,110, 125,147,153,199, 203,204, 237,238,240,241. Starblazer Space Fiction Adventure in Pictures #96,95,75,73,34, two 13,10,two 9; Amazing Stories of Suspense #44, one un-numbered and 207. Out of this World Strange and Unusual #4 and 6, DC New Gods #5; Super Comics Strange Planets #10, Space Ace Guardian of the Universe #20. Metomorpho The Element Man #12 1967. Astounding Science Fiction July 1952, 1950's Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories #2; Astounding Science Fiction Dec 1950; Future Science Fiction #11; three Fantastic Adventures #12,19 and 20; Weird Tales July 1950; Secrets of the Unknown #205; Planet Stories #7,8 and 11 (Story by Ray Bradbury); Startling Stories #8.
Cescinsky, Herbert "English Furniture of the 18th Century", illustrated from drawings by the author and from photographs, George Routledge & Sons, 3 vols, rebound, quarter leather, cloth boards, gilt titles, corners all rather bruised, folio Churchill, Winston "The Second World War", Cassell & Co 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, all first editions, black cloth, gilt titles Lichfield "Pottery and Porcelain" Savage "A Dictionary of Antiques" Andrews, John "British Antique Furniture", the Antique Collectors Club and other volumes (1 box)
Assorted ephemera to include the Winter Issue 1955/56 of The Royal Blue Services, Express Service timetable, Thorn's Steel Braced Portable Buildings catalogue, Tours in North Wales by The Royal Blue Motor Coaches, various first day covers, film photographs, The Motor Magazine 1956, the Civil Engineering Handbook No.5, Track Maintenance for British Rail, etc (1 box)
Charles J Lundgren (New York, Connecticut, 1911 - 1988) "U.S.S. Arkansas" Signed lower right. Oil on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood Commemorative Cover for the U.S.S. Arkansas. The last of America's "old style" battleships, the U.S.S. Arkansas received her commission on 17 September 1912 with Captain R.C. Smith in command. She took part in the Presidential Naval Review in the Hudson River 14 October 1912, and then carried President Taft to Panama for an inspection of the unfinished canal's progress. The U.S.S. Arkansas joined the Atlantic Fleet 2 June 1913, cruising the Caribbean. On 22 April 1914, she assisted in the occupation of Vera Cruz, and remained in Mexican waters until 30 September. For the next three years, the U.S.S. Arkansas cruised in the Atlantic and Caribbean. She spent the first year of American participation in World War I on patrol along the eastern seaboard. Ordered to Europe, she arrived at Rosyth, Scotland, 28 July 1918 and served with the 6th Battle Squadron of the British Grand Fleet. The U.S.S. Arkansas' proudest moment came as she witnessed the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet on 20 November 1918. In December, she escorted the U.S.S. George Washington, which carried President Wilson to France. She then served effectively in World War II. In the Atlantic she was first assigned to the Neutrality Patrol, then to convoy escort duty, gave fire support at the Normandy landings and then headed for the Pacific. Image Size: 13.5 x 15.75 in. Overall Size: 20.5 x 21.75 in. Unframed. (B11210)
Charles J Lundgren (New York, Connecticut, 1911 - 1988) "Tovarisch" Signed lower right. Oil on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the USSR 20k Kruzenshtern stamp issued September 18, 1981. This 20th century wind machine climaxed the evolution of the sail yet the Kruzenshtern was only the after-glow of a brief and glorious day when the square-rigger touched perfection. Built in 1926 for the once-great Laeisz firm of Hamburg, this spectacular four-masted bark of 378 ft. and 3,064 tons was christened the Padua, and was the last of a generation of legendary "Flying P" German cargo square-riggers. One of the largest "windjammers" in the world, the Padua was designed to glide around Cape Horn at 16 knots with more than 4,000 square feet of sail. But soon, World War II and its advancing diesel technology finally completed what World War I had begun with its steam engines ... the twilight era of the windjammers. In 1946, the Laeisz firm's Padua became a war reparation from Germany to the Soviet Union and was renamed the Kruzenshtern after renowned Russian one of the very few commercial sailing ships that found "life after death," sailing as cadet training vessels, tradition-encrusted symbols of the seafaring past for modern navies. Now sailing under the Soviet flag, the Kruzenshtern is a cadet's dream, a legend of the sea, and a successor and creator of new seamanlike traditions. Image Size: 19.5 x 22 in. Overall Size: 25 x 27.25 in. Unframed. (B07268)
Chris Calle (American, B. 1961) "Walter Schirra - First Splashdown in the Pacific" Signed lower right. Mixed Media on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the Grenada 25th Anniversary of the Moon Landing stamps issued August 4, 1994. "Sigma means 'sum of' . . . the flight was the sum of the efforts and energies of a lot of people." So said astronaut Walter Schirra as he explained the significance of the name he had given his Mercury 8 spacecraft, Sigma 7. By crediting all those unsung heroes who work behind the scenes, Navy Commander Schirra revealed that he was fully aware of the teamwork involved in a successful space flight. Each mission improved upon its predecessor, thus it was the goal of Mercury 8 to avoid the excessive fuel consumption that had plagued Mercury 7. To accomplish this, Schirra had to refrain from spending fuel in maneuvering the capsule unless it was absolutely necessary. Shortly after Sigma 7 was in orbit, the commander switched off both the manual and automatic controls. "Drifting and dreaming," as he called it, Schirra circled the Earth in this manner for nearly three and a half hours. After completing the sixth revolution, the astronaut landed Sigma 7 within five miles of the carrier USS Kearsarge, positioned north of Midway Island. This splashdown marked America's first ever in the Pacific Ocean. To Schirra's credit, he still had 80 percent of his control fuel intact. Analyzing the flawless flight of Mercury 8, an engineer back at Cape Canaveral concluded, "Wally showed us today that we have come a long way." During the next few years America's space program would continue to advance by leaps and bounds. Image Size: 7.25 x 6.25 in. Overall Size: 11.5 x 11.25 in. Unframed. (B14798)
Chris Calle (American, B. 1961) "Spacemobile on the Moon" Signed lower left. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 45c Surface Rover 20th UPU Congress Series stamp issued November 27, 1989. Imagine a young moon child, nose pressed against space station window glass, eagerly awaiting his birthday gift from grandma. A message transmitted to the computer in his playroom told him the gift would come today. Now, his heart races with excitement as he sees the mailman's lunar rover making its way across the rough terrain in the soft light reflected from the huge globe of earth. This scene may seem farfetched, but a popular plan for establishing colonies in outer space begins with a mining operation on the moon to supply the raw materials necessary for building space stations farther away. Among the moon's resources are aluminum and titanium for structural shells, silicon for solar cells, silica for making glass, and oxygen -- unlikely though it may seem, this element is found in moonrock -- for life-support systems and rocket propellant. If a colony was established to extract these treasures, "moon miners" would undoubtedly want to keep in touch with family and friends back on earth, and earthbound grandmas would want to send packages to their grandchildren on the moon. Obviously, some kind of a postal system would be a necessity. Mail would reach the moon via spacecraft, but once on the moon's surface a lunar rover, perhaps like the one illustrated on this painting, would take the place of the trusty, earthbound mail jeep to deliver the letters and packages. Image Size: 16.75 x 14.5 in. Overall Size: 23.25 x 20 in. Unframed. (B12165)
Chris Calle (American, B. 1961) "Buzz Aldrin" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Republic of the Marshall Islands 25c First Men on the Moon Astronaut Buzz Aldrin stamp issued August 1, 1989. Buzz Aldrin has the distinction of being the second man in history to set foot on the moon. A veteran astronaut of Gemini 12 and an Air Force Colonel at the time of the Apollo 11 mission in July 1969, he had graduated third in his class from West Point and earned a Ph.D. from MIT in astronautics. As he stepped out onto the barren world that man had long dreamt of reaching, he remarked on how breathtaking the view was. And surely it must have been thrilling for Aldrin to stand upon the moon and admire the beauty of the blue and green sphere we call Earth. Image Size: 9.75 x 12 in. Overall Size: 16.5 x 23.25 in. Unframed. (B12123)
Chris Calle (American, B. 1961) "VJ-Day Victory At Last" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the United States Victory at Last Minisheet issued September 2, 1945. On July 17, 1945, in Potsdam, Germany, U.S. President Harry Truman, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met to discuss the rebuilding of a devastated Europe. Though the European war had ended, the conflict with Japan continued. After a luncheon on July 24, Truman turned to Stalin's interpreter and said, "tell the Generalissimo that we have perfected a very powerful explosive which we are going to use against the Japanese and we think will end the war." Truman was referring to the first atomic bomb. Made from uranium, "Little Boy" was 10 feet long, 28 inches thick and weighed 9,000 pounds when assembled. At 8:15 a.m., on August 6, 1945, "Little Boy" dropped from the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay toward its target, Hiroshima. Truman issued a statement to the Japanese that warned, "The force from which the sun draws its power has been loosed upon those that brought war to the Far East. If they do not now accept our terms they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth." Japan did not reply. True to his threat, on August 9, Truman ordered "Fat Man", the second A-bomb, to be dropped on Nagasaki. That evening, Emperor Hirohito told his country that surrender was inevitable. By the morning of August 10, all of Hirohito's cabinet members had signed statements accepting the surrender, although the formal papers would not be signed until September 2. Image Size: 14.75 x 12 in. Overall Size: 23 x 18 in. Unframed. (B15186)
Chris Calle (American, B. 1961) "Sacajawea" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the U.S. 29c Sacajawea stamp issued October 18, 1994. Only a few years of Sacajawea's life have actually been documented, but in that span of time she left a lasting mark on American history. She was born around 1790, daughter of a Shoshone chieftain. At about the age of 10, she was captured by a Hidatsa raiding party. A few years later the Hidatsa sold her to Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian, who took her for his wife. During the winter of 1804-05, Charbonneau was hired by explorers Lewis and Clark as an interpreter. A few weeks before the expedition was to leave from Fort Mandan, Sacajawea gave birth to her first child, a son named Jean Baptiste. When Lewis and Clark headed upriver in April 1805, Sacajawea was the only woman to accompany them, carrying her infant in a cradleboard on her back. Since the Indians perceived a woman with a party of men as a token of peace, Sacajawea was held in high regard by the group. But she was also respected for being hardworking, intelligent and loyal. When the expedition encountered a party of Shoshone, Sacajawea was overjoyed to discover that its chief was her elder brother Cameahwait. After a tearful reunion, she chose to continue on toward the Pacific with her husband. On the return trek, the three Charbonneaus left the expedition. Here, the story of Sacajawea grows murky. Some say she died of "putrid fever" at Fort Manuel in 1812. Others claim she lived for some time among the Comanches before returning to her own people on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, where she died in 1884. Image Size: 14 x 12 in. Overall Size: 19.5 x 16 in. Unframed. (B14848)
David K. Stone (American, 1922 - 2001) "U.S. House of Representatives" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 25c U.S. House of Representatives stamp issued April 4, 1989. The idea for the House of Representatives, as with its counterpart, the Senate, was born in 1787 during the Constitutional Convention. After ratification of the Constitution in 1789, the House began work with sixty-five members. The stamp featured on this First Day Cover commemorates the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the House, which by 1913 had grown to four hundred thirty-five members. Traditionally, the House has remained at that number, with the exception of a temporary expansion in 1959. At that time, Hawaii and Alaska became states, and two extra members were temporarily added to represent them in the House. Representatives are apportioned to states on the basis of population, and are reapportioned after each census to maintain a fair distribution. A Representative must be at least twenty-five years old, have been a citizen of the United States for seven years, and be a resident of the state that he or she is representing. Representatives conduct business in committees and subcommittees. The three most important committees are Ways and Means, Appropriations, and Rules, handling tax measures, funding for government agencies and the flow of business on the House floor, respectively. The House processes ten to fifteen thousand bills annually and helps enact a large number of public and private laws each year. The House also has the power to elect a President, should the electoral college fail to do so, and the House alone has the power to impeach the President and other high-ranking officials. Image Size: 17.75 x 20.75 in. Overall Size: 23.75 x 27 in. Unframed. (B11951)
Don Balke (North Carolina, B. 1933) "Canada Goose and Moose" Signed lower right. Original Watercolor on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. $1.04 Wildlife of the Wilderness souvenir sheet stamp issued June 10, 1978. People on both sides of the nearly four thousand mile Canadian-American border, appreciate and protect the wildlife that distinguishes the continued cooperation between the two countries. The Moose, the king of the northwest forest; the free-flying Mallard; and the famed Canada Goose are three of the animals that make the Canadian and American wilderness regions a natural paradise. Image Size: 13 x 12.5 in. Overall Size: 14 x 17 in. Unframed. (B05047)
Ed Little (American, B. 1957) "20th Anniversary of First Men on the Moon" Signed lower left. Original oil painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. Image Size: 1.5 x 15 in. Overall Size: 25.25 x 20 in. Unframed. (B11991)
Ed Little (American, B. 1957) "Santa Claus Waving in Front of Chimney" Signed lower left. Original Oil painting on CanvasBoard. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 29c Santa Claus Waving In Front Of Chimney stamp issued October 17, 1999. According to Clement C. Moore's fictional Christmas Eve encounter with St. Nick, commonly entitled "The Night Before Christmas," the droll, chubby elf known as Santa Claus likes to enter and exit houses via the chimney. Laying aside their natural skepticism at the feasibility of such a feat, Americans have accepted this unusual habit as a matter of fact for nearly two centuries. If Santa can deliver presents to houses all over the world during the course of one night, they reason, then sliding his ample personage down a narrow chimney must be relatively easy. While Santa Claus as a character is Yankee to the core, some of his habits have European origins. Santa's peculiar mode of entry has Scandinavian roots, evolving from an old Norse legend which maintained that the goddess Hertha's appearance in the fireplace brought the home and its occupants good luck. Across the Atlantic in the United States, the legend replaced Hertha with Santa Claus, whose yearly dispensation of bounty is for many believers the ultimate indication of good fortune. Image Size: 26.75 x 37.5 in. Overall Size: 30 x 40.25 in. Unframed. (B13534)
Ed Vebell (American, 1921 - 2018) "Homestead Act" Signed lower right. Original Acrylic painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This artwork was originally published on the Fleetwood Commemorative Cover for Epic Events in American History series issued in 1985. From the first English settlements at Jamestown and Plymouth, land was "free" if it could be wrestled from the Indians. With independence, the states discovered an inability to preserve their claims from land-hungry settlers. Both the states and the nation attempted the plan of selling property to land companies, which in turn sold it off to settlers. The vast majority of the pioneers who pushed across the Alleghenies, however, preferred to take what they thought was rightfully theirs without payment. As early as 1812, a "True American Society" in Ohio asserted that "every man is entitled by Nature to a portion of the soil." In the 19th century, this principle came to be widely accepted. With the secession of the slave-holding South, opposition to "free" soil, both as free for settlers and as "free" of slaves, disappeared. On May 20, 1862, President Lincoln signed a Homestead Act which gave to any person "the head of a family or of 21 years of age," who had not fought in the Confederate Army, the right to claim 160 acres of public land. It was, potentially, one of the most revolutionary Acts ever passed by a modern legislature, even if it did not quite work out to be a revolution. Most of the newly opened land came into the hands of giant corporations and land speculators, but perhaps as much as 300 million acres of precious American property were acquired by "homesteaders." This Cover commemorates the anniversary of the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862. Image Size: 20 x 21 in. Overall Size: 26.5 x 27 in. Unframed. (B06076)
Erik Nitsche (Swiss, 1908 - 1998) "Ribbons Spelling Best Wishes" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This artwork was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 22c Best Wishes stamp issued April 20, 1987. From our earliest childhood, to the maturity of our years, we eagerly wish the best to those we love. Perhaps a dear friend is leaving us to seek a better opportunity far away ... or perhaps a family member is about to undertake a new business venture. In either case, we find ourselves offering our Best Wishes! What a perfect way to offer our sincerest hope for the best of all possibilities to a friend or loved one. Formal enough for acquaintances, this sentiment is also a way to say we care to someone very dear. A salutation perfect for almost every joyful occasion, often times we are unable to offer our "Best Wishes" in person, so we find ourselves sending a card or letter to express our hope. This artwork is a lasting reminder of your best wishes for someone special. Image Size: 14 x 12 in. Overall Size: 20 x 15 in. Unframed. (B10264)
Erik Nitsche (Swiss, 1908 - 1998) "Graphic Design of the Christmas Star" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for Germany. The festive tradition of trimming the Christmas tree originated in 16th century Germany. Decorations consisted mostly of delicious sweets that filled homes with the wonderful aromas of spiced apples, sugar cookies, gilded nuts and candied dates. However, of all the types of decorations used for the Christmas tree, the star perhaps best symbolizes the spiritual meaning of the holiday. When Christ was born in Bethlehem, a star led the wise men to the Holy Child. Christ is referred to in the Bible as "the bright and morning Star" and "the Light of the World." The star continues to be an important symbol throughout the world during the Christmas season. A European tradition concerning the star takes place on Christmas eve when bands of "star singers" walk through the streets singing Christmas carols and carrying poles topped with star-shaped lanterns. Image Size: 12 x 14 in. Overall Size: 15 x 20 in. Unframed. (B10528)
Erik Nitsche (Swiss, 1908 - 1998) "Marina San Gorg in Malta" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the Malta Europa 1987 Modern Art - Architecture stamp issued April 15, 1987. The strategic position of the Maltese Islands, situated at the crossroads of Europe and the Islamic World, is reflected in its overall architectural character. The synthesis of these two cultures provides the basis for the Maltese architectural and cultural identity. With the arrival of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in the sixteenth century, the introduction of both the massive fortifications of European royalty and the intricate elegance of Islamic design were wed. The architectural culmination of this union can be seen throughout the islands, and especially in the old city of Valletta, Malta's capital. Valletta's structures contrast sharply with the modern designs championed by native-born Maltese architect, Richard England. England has been in the forefront of Malta's modern architectural movement during the past twenty years. He has designed and built most of Malta's modern buildings. This artwork depicts England's Marina San Gorg Apartments built in 1981. It relects the synthesis of Malta's architectural heritage with modern design concepts. Image Size: 14 x 12 in. Overall Size: 20 x 15 in. Unframed. (B10852)
Gherman Alexeyvich Komlev (Russian, 1933 - 2000) "Astronauts" Signed and titled verso. Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S.S.R. 6K Launch of Soyuz 28 stamp issued March 10, 1978. On March 2, 1978, at the Baikonur cosmodrome, two cosmonauts walked toward the launching pad. One of them, Colonel Alexei Alexandrovich Gubarev, wore the flag of the U.S.S.R. on the sleeve of his spacesuit. The other cosmonaut, Captain Vladimir Remek, wore the flag of Czechoslovakia. Soon, they would become the first international crew in the history of space launched in the same spaceship, and Czechosolovakia would become the third nation to send a man into space. Gubarev, a pilot-cosmonaut of the U.S.S.R. and hero of the Soviet Union, had made the thirty-day space flight aboard Soyuz 17 and Salyut 4 in 1975. Noting the importance of the flight on which he was about to embark, Gbubarev said, "This flight marks a new stage of cooperation among socialist countries in the exploration and use of outer space under the Intercosmos programs." Captain Vladimir Remek, a citizen of the C.S.S.R., was seventeen years younger than his co-cosmonaut, Gubarev, and admittedly had a profound respect for him, as a son for his father. Says Remek about his early ambitions to fly: "I will remember April 12, 1961 forever. When I heard our director, over the school radio, tell about the first manned flight, I could not even imagine that I also would make a space flight. But that day did cause me to make up my mind to become a pilot like Gagarin." Soyuz 28 was Remek's first space flight. At 6:28 PM Moscow time, Soyuz 28 blasted off, marking another milestone in man's peaceful quest of the cosmos. Image Size: 7.75 x 9.25 in. Overall Size: 10 x 13.25 in. Unframed. (B05910)
Gordon Beningfield (British, 1936 - 1998) "Yellow Skunk Cabbage" Signed lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the U.S. 29c Yellow Skunk Cabbage stamp issued July 24, 1992. Arising from mucky soils of swamps and bottomlands in the northwest, the bizarre flowers of yellow skunk cabbage bloom early in the spring. The yellow, hood-like spathe unfolds to reveal a thick stalk -- called a spadix -- with hundreds of small, greenish flowers. The strong, unpleasant odor of the flowers -- not quite as bad as the smell of a skunk -- draws flies as pollinators. The genus name, which is derived from two Greek words meaning "loose" and "tunic," describes the appearance of the spathe. Bear, deer and other wildlife feed on the huge, fanlike leaves and fleshy stems. Although the roots are edible, they contain calcium oxalate crystals that cause a burning sensation in the mouth. Drying and roasting the roots, however, removes the crystals so that the roots can be ground into flour. Native Americans used the peppery sap to treat ringworm. Yellow skunk cabbage is a member of the arum family. Image Size: 7 x 6 in. Overall Size: 11.5 x 10.5 in. Unframed. (B13168)
Harry Schaare (New York, Arizona, 1922 - 2008) "Octave Chanute Working on Glider" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 21c Octave Chanute Air Mail stamp issued March 29, 1979. Though flight was considered folly by the common man since time began, by 1893, it was considered a feasible endeavor by scientists. At that time, a spirit of cooperation among aeronautical researchers gave rise to remarkable scientific advances, both theoretical and practical. This attitude of free exchange and cooperation, pervading both Europe and the United States, was largely the work of one man, Octave Chanute. It was Chanute who schooled aviation students on the experiments and inventions of their predecessors and on the theory of flight in general. He helped them build on what was already known about man's search for flight and encouraged them to further expand man's knowledge of aeronautics. His assistance was greatly welcomed, for Chanute was a reputable scientist, a renowned civil engineer of penetrating ability. His innovative attitudes and profound scope led him to be known as the leader in a new age of aeronautical development. He firmly believed that the glider held the answer to man's dream of flight, and history would bear out the wisdom of his theories during the Wright Brothers first glider experiments on the sand dunes at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. In 1893, most people felt that flight, in anything but a balloon or a dirigible, was impossible. But Chanute, and many other people from the scientific community, knew that one day man would achieve powered flight. Image Size: 17.5 x 13.75 in. Overall Size: 21.75 x 17.5 in. Unframed. (B05887)
Howard Koslow (American, 1924 - 2016) "Ulysses S. Grant" Signed lower left. Original oil painting on Cold Press Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original oil painting which was published on the Fleetwood Commemorative PFCD for America's Greatest Military Heroes series, cancelled April 27, 1992. The year was 1861. The Civil War -- one of America's darkest eras -- had begun. When the cry for Union troops went out, one of the first to answer the call was a middle-aged farmer who had, years earlier, graduated from the famed United States Military Academy. His name was Ulysses S. Grant. On and off the battlefield, Grant exhibited the qualities of a great military leader. He always took the initiative, fought aggressively, and made quick, sure decisions. Within a few months of enlisting, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. Under Grant's staunch leadership and military prowess, the Union Army secured victory after victory. Indeed, Grant's troops won the bloody battles fought at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and Vicksburg ... to name just a few. He was such a success as a military leader that in early 1864 President Abraham Lincoln promoted Grant to lieutenant general and put him in charge of all the Union troops. With this supreme authority bestowed upon him, Grant began a final campaign against the Southern troops of General Robert E. Lee. Grant's troops constantly pursued and attacked the enemy troops, until General Lee was finally forced to surrender on April 9, 1865 ... ending the war. Ulysses S. Grant's bravery and military genius won for him the love and admiration of America ... and eventually the Presidency of the United States. Image Size: 13.75 x 12 in. Overall Size: 20.25 x 18 in. Unframed. (B08788)
J. Craig Thorpe (American, B. 1948) "Pennsylvania Railroad K4" Signed lower right. Original Oil on Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Republic of the Marshall Islands First Day Cover for the 55c Pennsylvania Railroad K4 4-6-2 stamp issued August 23, 1996. The K4 was one of the most successful mass-produced passenger steam locomotives in America. Some 425 were constructed, the majority by Juniata Shops from 1914 to 1928, and 75 by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1927. Basic specifications were never altered over the years -- a testimony to the simplicity and efficiency of its design. The K4 was the principal passenger locomotive for Pennsylvania Railroad, the most important railroad in America, hauling 10 percent of the nation's freight and 20 percent of its passengers. PRR's lines stretched from New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington in the east, to Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Chicago and St. Louis in the midwest. The K4 served in main line, secondary and branch line duties. Even after the introduction of diesel locomotives, in the early 1950s, K4s continued to haul commuter trains until November 1957 -- the end of Pennsylvania Railroad's steam power. Image Size: 10 x 13.25 in. Overall Size: 14 x 18 in. Unframed. (B15306)
J. Craig Thorpe (American, B. 1948) "Virginia Locomotive" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood Legendary Locomotives of the 50 States Virginia Commemorative Cover postmarked September 3, 1994. On September 3, 1881, the Roanoke Machine Works was chartered by the county of Roanoke, Virginia. Considered to be one of the finest steam locomotive construction shops in America, it was established to build and repair equipment of the Norfolk & Western and Shenandoah Valley railroads. The machine shop contained two monorail cranes designed for hoisting heavy material. They were propelled by a seemingly endless rope that extended the length of the building. Wall-mounted gas jets lit the overall work area, while individual candles were used by those who needed stronger light to perform close work. During the sweltering heat of Virginia's summer months, workers bought their own ice for the drinking water. Curiously, it was believed that the consumption of cold water was detrimental to one's health. Thus, liberal quantities of oatmeal were added to counter any possible "ill effects." A telephone was installed in the watchman's shanty for the sole purpose of contacting help in the event that a worker was injured. This was another "luxury" paid for by the Roanoke Machine Works' employees. Other operations included in the complex were the foundry, boiler shop, smith shop and, in later years, a chemical laboratory. By 1936, the Works was ranked among the top railroad machine shops in America. This handsome artwork features the No. 117. In September 1884, this 2-8-0 type freight engine was the first locomotive built in the shops. Image Size: 14 x 12 in. Overall Size: 18 x 15 in. Unframed. (B14855)
Jack Fellows (American, B. 1941) "P-3 Orion" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Republic of the Marshall Islands 32c P-3 Orion stamp issued August 28, 1998. For more than 30 years, Lockheed's P-3 Orion has flown over the shipping lanes of the Free World, serving as the U.S. Navy's primary long-range anti-submarine aircraft and helping safeguard mariners from dozens of nations. Today, it remains one of the few propeller-driven aircraft still in first-line service with America's armed forces. Image Size: 16.5 x 14 in. Overall Size: 18.25 x 16 in. Unframed. (B14107)
Jack Fellows (American, B. 1941) "B-36 Peacemaker" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Republic of the Marshall Islands 32c B-36 Peacemaker stamp issued July 19, 1997. Work on the B-36 Peacemaker began in April 1941. Due to shifting priorities and production delays, however, the first flights weren't made until August 1946. Although World War II had ended, the Cold War was heating up and the B-36 played an indispensable role by serving as a nuclear-armed deterrent to Soviet forces. Image Size: 16.5 x 14 in. Overall Size: 18.5 x 15.75 in. Unframed. (B14085)
Keith Reynolds (American, B. 1929) "Cargo Vessels" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Canvas Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This artwork originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.N. 28c Trade and Development stamp issued June 6, 1983. For thousands of years, families all over the world produced most of the things they needed themselves. They grew or hunted their own food, made their own tools and utensils, built their own homes, and made their own clothes. Later, men learned that they could have more and better goods and services by specializing and trading with others. As civilization advanced, exchanges became so common that some men ... eventually known as merchants ... did nothing but conduct trade. The most famous early land-merchants were the Babylonians and later, the Arabs. These traders carried their goods across the land on foot or rode donkeys or camels. In contrast, the Phoenicians became the chief sea-traders of ancient times ... shipping loads of cargo and goods across the briny deep. Today, sea-trade is a multi-billion dollar business, and is completely modernized. Gigantic cargo vessels ... such as those featured on this artwork ... can transport huge quantities of goods across the sea. Image Size: 15.75 x 13.75 in. Overall Size: 20 x 16 in. Unframed. (B08068)
Lyle Tayson (American, 1924 - 2014) "Leatherworker Craftsmen" Signed lower left. Original Oil painting on Canvas. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 13c Leatherworker stamp issue of July 4, 1977. During the Colonial era, leather was one of the most widely used materials. It was used for boots, shoes, coats, gloves, aprons, belts, harness, and many other things. Belts drove simple machines and served as valves in pumps. When America's War for Independence started, the need for leather for military use increased at once by leaps and bounds. The leather harness, for instance, pulled artillery guns and wagons. And, to protect fragile paper musket cartridges from dampness or damage, leather was used to make stiff waterproof cartridge boxes. Every soldier needed one, for damp cartridges could lose battles. As the army grew, more leather was needed. The constant cry from commanders in the field for supplies was not always heeded, but civilian craftsmen, and Leatherworkers in particular, were responsive when possible. To increase production, they shortened the tanning process, producing only slightly inferior leather. In their own shops they worked long and hard, knowing that in the army men went without shoes. These civilian craftsmen answered freedom's call as fully as soldiers and sailors. They, too, risked their lives and their fortunes as collaborators of rebellion. Image Size: 26 x 20.75 in. Overall Size: 30.25 x 24 in. Unframed. (B05136)
Mel Crawford (Canadian, B. 1925) "Canada Christmas 1881" Signed upper left. Original Mixed Media on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the Canada 15c Merry Christmas Joyeux Noel stamp issue of November 16, 1981. The most widespread, and to children the most delightful, of all festive decorations is the Christmas tree. In nineteenth century Canada, the rapid spread in the Christmas tree's popularity gave rise to a new industry -- ornament making. The first commercial decorations were made of tin, usually in geometric designs with multifaceted surfaces that reflected the candlelight. A variety of candleholders were also contrived to support these traditional sources of light. Popular for many years was a tin clip-on style ornament with a crimped skirt encircling the candle base to catch the dripping wax. Wax figurines, cast by German toymakers, were popular throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century. Starting in the 1840s, glass ornaments, hand-blown in Germany, were imported to Canada. At first, they were only round and thick-walled, but a method was later perfected for making thin, fragile balls. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, colored paper ornaments were common, some printed with as many as twenty different colors. During this same period, embossed cardboard ornaments were made in every conceivable shape and had an astonishing amount of detail. Of course, no Christmas tree in nineteenth century Canada was complete without its edible ornaments such as red apples, cookies, and garlands of popcorn and cranberries. Image Size: 14 x 12 in. Overall Size: 17.25 x 15 in. Unframed. (B06192)
Mel Crawford (Canadian, B. 1925) "Putting Wreath on Door/Christmas" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 20c Christmas stamps issued October 28, 1983. No matter where we are in the world during the joyous season of Christmas, our hearts always seem to find their way back home. Memories are rekindled of home . . . family . . . a warm, toasty fire . . . and, of course, a huge, sparkling Christmas Tree. For Christmas is indeed a time that makes happy memories. And, while away from home and loved ones during the yuletide, who could help but remember the touching words to one of the most heartwarming Christmas songs of all . . . "I'll be home for Christmas, you can count on me . . . I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams . . ." Yes, Christmas is indeed a wonderful time to be at home! Image Size: 14 x 11.75 in. Overall Size: 17 x 14.75 in. Unframed. (B08332)
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