Lunar Dust From Apollo 11 Moon Landing - Rock Solid, Unshakable Authenticity




Item History & Price

Information:
Reference Number: Avaluer:2846501
Original Description:

The Ultimate Apollo 11 Artifact that a Private Collector Might Acquire!
As mind-boggling as it may seem, this 8x10 display features particles of lunar dust from where men first walked on the moon. Literally from the surface of the moon around the base of the ladder -- the exact area in which Neil Armstrong uttered his famous words of "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
This dust is part of the lunar dust that NASA engineer Terry Slezak was exposed to ...on July 25, 1969, leading to his being quarantined with the Apollo 11 astronauts. Slezak kept some of that dust on a mounted montage that he kept as a memento for 32 years before selling it 18 years ago to German collector Florian Noller, an international expert on space flown artifacts. Its impeccable authenticity is also supported by the beliefs and actions of the Department of Justice and NASA in 2011 when the legality of its ownership was considered without a definitive legal finding being made. While it is always possible for that to change in the future, I can say that through my most recent inquiry made on May 12th, 2019, no legal action has ever been pursued against Slezak, Noller, or any purchaser of the few displays that Noller created from the Slezak dust, nor has anyone been presented with an order or legal document claiming the dust as government property rather than their own. Contrary to the impression given by media reports in 2011, the lone case of a display of Slezak dust being returned to NASA did not take place under a warrant or other form of confiscation, but rather was a voluntary choice. 
The chance of the legal ownership of these displays being questioned in the future has been reduced by the decision of NASA and/or the Office of the Inspector General to accept the legal ownership by the actor Tom Hanks of incidental lunar dust from an Apollo mission that he acquired in an auction. The corollary to the Slezak dust seems clear in that it, too, is incidental -- that is, the Slezak dust has no relation to the collecting of lunar samples and, like the lunar dust in the Hanks' case, is the result of an inconsequential and accidental occurrence. That said, I purchased this display with the burden of uncertain legality and I sell it with the same.
Here's the incredible story of this amazing memento from history. On July 20th, 1969, the Apollo 11 astronauts were closing up shop on their time on the lunar surface. Buzz Aldrin had gone up the ladder into the Eagle (Lunar Module) and was preparing to use the LEC (Lunar Equipment Conveyor) to bring up the SRC (Sample Return Containers, of which there were two). Attached to the first SRC box, on a hook, was the Hasselband camera with the last film magazine they had used. Neil Armstrong was on the lunar surface at the base of the ladder assisting with the transfer of the SRC when at 1:03 pm ET he verbally reported that the film magazine had come off the camera. It fell to the lunar surface where Armstrong retrieved it while Aldrin raised and stored the first SRC. The retrieved film magazine went up with the second SRC box, followed by Armstrong -- ending the mission's time out on the lunar surface.
Five days later, after safely returning to earth, the mission's film magazines were turned over to Terry Slezak to develop the film. Selzak had done this for earlier missions without incident and everything was routine until he opened magazine "S, " the last one Armstrong had used on the lunar surface. Terry found his hands covered with lunar dust that had gotten into the magazine when it had been dropped on the moon. He was rushed to the quarantine trailer and sealed in with the astronauts. Added confirmation is hardly needed but on July 19th, 2008, I got to meet and talk with Buzz Aldrin, and I mentioned the NASA engineer who had been quarantined with him. Aldrin confirmed that with, "Oh yes, I remember that." There are also two pictures in the NASA archives showing Slezak in quarantine with the astronauts. I have added to the auction description one of those photos in which Slezak shows the black lunar dust -- Armstrong likened it to "soot" -- on his left hand.
Slezak assembled a montage of mementos that included the metallic label of magazine "S" and a small amount of lunar dust "taken off when I cleaned the film magazine." He collected it on a piece of tape and fastened it to his poster board. When Florian Noller bought Slezak's poster board in 2001, he personally removed that piece of tape and carefully cut it into tiny triangles to create a number of displays to sell to other collectors. They quickly sold out and I bought two -- one that I will never sell, and one I planned to sell as we approached the 50th anniversary. Another purchaser of one of the displays had his lunar dust examined under an electron microscope by a geologist, who confirmed it was consistent with what was found in lunar soil in the Apollo missions. I put an image used in his report as part of the auction description.
On this 8x10 display the tiny swatch is mounted in "reverse" so the dust is facing upwards. While the dust is firmly bonded in the original tape adhesive, Noller placed a protective flap of transparent archive mylar over the swatch. The flap has adhesive on just one edge so it can be tilted down to allow one to actually touch this historic lunar dust. I totally removed that cover from the display in my collection to make it easier for me and visitors to touch this historic lunar dust. It is easily the most popular and admired item in my extensive collection from our early space program.
The display comes with a numbered COA from Mr. Noller that corresponds to the numbered display. The COA goes into extensive detail about its provenance, including images.
I was surprised this did not sell the first time through auction. I realize the interest in our early space program has waned, but I thought there would be more of a resurgence with the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. The last time one of these rare displays of the Slezak lunar dust was in a public auction -- that I know of -- was way back in 2011 and it went for a little more than $5400. (RR Auction Catalog 366, January 2011)
I reduced the minimum bid to $2300. To save a repetition of all the offers I got between $1500 and $2500, I'm not selling it early for less than the Buy-It-Now price of $3000. If you want to take a shot at getting it for less, you'll have to wait it out and see how it goes. 



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