Winter Autograph, Art and Sports Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/26/2015
DS, four pages, 8 x 13, 1928. A Deed of Gift for the L. S. Thompson Speed Trophy. In part: “Before and immediately following the entry in 1917 of the United States of America in the World War, and preliminary to becoming naval aviators Donors received aviation and naval training at West Palm Beach, Florida, and at Huntington, New York; and During such training became intimately associated with their friend Lewis S Thompson of Red Bank, New Jersey, who by his generous financial support, sympathetic advice and the unstinted devotion of his time, experience and energy greatly facilitated said training and immeasurably contributed to whatever success Donors achieved in the performance of their duties, singly and as a group, in the service of their country; and Donors desire to express in some appropriate and lasting manner their deep and abiding affectionfor and gratitude to said Lewis S. Thompson; and Donors desire to further the progress of the science of aviation, particularly as applied to military and naval purposes, and to express that interest in a way which will inspire and encourage the development of aircraft best serving such purposes; NOW THEREFORE, Donors hereby give to Donee the trophy known as ‘The L.S. Thompson Speed Trophy together with 5 miniature replicas thereof subject to the following terms and conditions: FIRST: Said trophy and said replicas shall be designated ‘The L.S. Thompson Speed Trophy’ by proper engraving thereon and by proper cataloguing or other method appropriate, whenever exhibited. SECOND: Donee shall hold the trophy so long as this Deed of GW shall not be revoked as herein provided. THIRD: Said trophy and said replicas shall, from time to time, be awarded as herein provided for breaking the World’s maximum speedy record for aeroplanes, which record shall, for the purposes hereof be deemed to be the higher, at any time and from time to time, of the two records now recognized by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale as ‘Plus Grande Vitesse Sur Base,’ for airplanes and seaplanes respectively, or any succeeding records so recognized and approximating most nearly, in the opinion of Donee, the two records above specified. FOURTH: When said record shall be broken by any pilot, Donee shall award said trophy: Q’ such pilot represent an aero club, chapter, association and/or organization affiliated with or recognized by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, its successor and/or successors, to such aero club, chapter, association and/or organization.” Signed on the final page by Orville Wright as Chairman of the Contest Committee, and also signed by 33 others including “Geo Lewis” as the Chairman of the Executive Committee, “CF Schory” as the Secretary of the Contest Committee and “Porter IL Adams” as the President of the National Aeronautic Association. It is then signed by thirty donors, including the Assistant Secretary of War for Aeronautics “F. Trubee Davison”, the later holder of that post “Robert A. Lovett,” Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Aeronautics; “D.S. Ingalls,” his successor “Artemus L. Gates,” financier William A. Rockefeller and Wings Club president Caleb S. Bragg. Document is housed in its original legal folder. In fine condition, with some mild toning to pages, a bit heavier to final page. Accompanied by two 1928 letters from to C.F. Schory of the NAA in Washington, the first sending a copy of this deed of gift along with a design for the trophy (not present), the second suggests changing the deed so it is not restricted to land planes.
On the 25th anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ flight, Orville encouraged future aviation innovation by chairing the contest committee of the Thompson Trophy. Named after Lewis S. Thompson, a wealthy backer, the Thompson Trophy became one of the most coveted aviation awards during the heyday of airplane racing in the 1930s. Over the thirty-year history of the storied competition, many famous aviators and planes competed for the prize, with the winning speeds starting at 201 mph in 1930 and ending at 1,302 mph in 1961. An important document in aviation history signed by Orville Wright, without whom such a contest would not have been possible
Orville Wright " Speed Races"
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