You Guys have GOT to see this auction!!!

[sandman]

This is an unbelievable find.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5909079108

sandman

 

[OKTurbo]

I can't believe it's on eBay.

That NEEDS to be in a museum.

John

 

[Ryan S.]

wow that is cool, and I agree, that should be put in a glass box and displayed somewhere

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

Mark Bundick

Are you listening? NAR would be a good custodian of this.

 

[rstaff3]

If its real it should be in a library or museum. Even a copy would be cool.

 

[astronboy]

Hey... I think that I would be a good custodian... but we shall see who bids...

Seriously, My lifetime hobby, longer than rockets, Has been history. Manuscripts are a wonderful, personal link to history. Whoever gets this should treasure it.

I was hoping that it would go 'below the radar'.... oh well/.

 

[rebar_rocketry]

This is gonna go for BIG bucks. tom*chc will probably get it

 

[Steward]

I should think the Smithsonian would be really interested in it...

Maybe we should forward this link to them...!!!

 

[DynaSoar]

Aw geez louise. The boss and I just decided to move back to her place in Dallas and my allowance got cut off to save for moving otherwise I'd bet my next several months on it. This sucks.

I doubt the Smithsonian would be allowed to buy it off eBay, even if they could move fast enough. I doubt NAR or TRA could do it without some official stuff that'd take too long.

Hopefully some well financed rocketer will buy it, whether for a museum or at least to preserve it. I'd hate to see it go to common speculators.

Maybe the folks at Estes would be interested? If I weren't going in for surgery Monday AM, I'd be on the phone to them.

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

The boss and I just decided to move back to her place in Dallas

Say it isn't so....

Well at least DARS will have a new member.

 

[Elapid]

into buying it and donating it to the proper museum if they are interested in displaying it...

 

[OccamMD]

I got tied up the night this auction ended. So I emailed the seller and asked if I could buy it for our local museum of science and industry. He emailed back and said the minimum had not been met, but he would take an offer from me to the seller. I emailed back and asked him what the minimum was and he has never responded.

It's a shame too, 'cause I think it could be a great building block for more rocketry out of our Tampa area wrt the science center.

 

[OccamMD]

Well, I did get an email about this recently.

What do you all think this is worth for purchase?

 

[Elapid]

that's your answer.

it's neat and all, but it's no Lord of the Rings, or Harry Potter manuscript.

 

[OccamMD]

True for value, but it didn't reach the minimum required for purchase

 

[Gus]

I have to chime in here.

I mean, what's the deal with reserve price auctions?

What's the point behind the big secret?

Just set your minimum price at what you're actually willing to sell the item for.

Otherwise, you're just wasting my time.

I HAVE bid on reserve price auctions, had the high bid, but did not meet the reserve price.

Never have I heard from the seller saying, hey, I know you were interested but my reserve was "X".

As for this item, it IS a great artifact, and deserves to be in a museum. I bid on it, with the intention of making a donation. I have no idea how far off the reserve I was because the seller never bothered to contact anyone who bid. If the seller made that information public, maybe a group of people would get together and make the purchase.

As for what this item is "worth", the market spoke.

Not too many things in the rocketry section of eBay end up selling at a "discount".

And OccamMD, I AM curious. What is he actually willing to sell this item for?

Maybe a group of us here on the forum, or my local NAR branch, would like to get together and purchase this for donation to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

 

[OccamMD]

He won't tell me the minimum. I have asked and he said the seller does not want to dicker over price and just make him an offer. My position was it said he was in financial difficulty and if he had a minimum that seemed fair to him I would meet it. Obviously, $1K (for example), would not be reasonable.

I was buying it to donate, not to keep.

 

[flying_silverad]

Ok. I have an idea. What if a group of us purchased the book, copy it for whatever group members go in on it, and then donate the origianl to the Smithsonian or NAR.

If this is something you all want to do, lets get a list going and I'll make contact with the seller.

 

[Elapid]

i'd chip in a few bucks.
it's obvious that it has some value to the seller so it won't likely get destroyed or anything.

let me know if you guys get serious

 

[sandman]

I'm with Gus. If a seller won't tell you the minimum price...he can keep it!

Personally I don't care how important a document might be. It would be nice but not the end of my world if he just hangs onto it.

sandman

 

[Steward]

How did this draft come to be in these peoples hands?

Woudn't it actually belong to the Stine estate? Anyone asked them what it's worth? Should Bill Jr. know about this? (does anyone know how to get in touch with the family?)

Is it legal for these people to have and/or sell this?
I still think even for what it is, (historical), the Smithonian should be in on this... If not... at least the Stine family...!!!

 

[Papa Elf]

Also... how do we know if this is real? Maybe someone should ask Stine. He would know.

 

[rebar_rocketry]

Originally posted by n3tjm
Also... how do we know if this is real? Maybe someone should ask Stine. He would know.

Bill's in China, but if I can think about it tomorrow, I'll call Ray at Quest and see if they even know about it.

 

[rebar_rocketry]

I talked to Ray at Quest today and apparently Bill doesn't even know about it. Then again, since it was his father, he probably has all kinds of stuff like this laying around

 

[Gus]

I contacted the seller regarding setting a firm price for a possible group buy and donation.

Seller indicatated he will contact the owner and get back to me.

I'll let you all know as soon as I hear something.

 

[Missileman]

Some thoughts:
On the down side it is a manuscript for the 5th edition vs the 1st.
But still of great historical value.
I am all for donating to the smithsonian.
On the descriptive plaque it should show "Donated by"
Then perhaps something like "The TRF Group" along with TRF website address?
Maybe a 2 or 3 tier donation setup such as.
For $20 get a photocopy of the manuscript, for $100 get both a photocopy and have your name and/or TRF username listed on the display plaque as a major contributer (ahh to be imortilized in the Smithsonian) and for any other amounts a hearty thank you?
Just some thoughts and perhaps a starting point.

 

[Missileman]

PS:
The amounts in my previous post are purely subjective and only meant to provide an idea of what to do.
To copy the entire manuscript would be rediculous due to its size.
I would settle for a handfull of pages with signatures and notations.

 

[Steward]

Anything new happening here...???

I'm curious about the Stine family's reaction...???
If any...???

 

[rebar_rocketry]

Originally posted by Steward


Anything new happening here...???

I'm curious about the Stine family's reaction...???
If any...???

Bill is supposed to be back today, so I emailed the info to him. From what Ray said the other day, apparently, Bill doesn't even know about it. I'm supposed to talk to him this evening about shipping motors, so I'll ask him then what he thinks about it.

 

[Gus]

Haven't heard back from the seller.