Vintage matte-finish 11 x 7.5 photo of Henry Ford and Glenn Curtiss posing with a Curtiss flying boat during a visit by Ford to Hammondsport, N.Y., in 1913, nicely signed in fountain pen, 'Henry Ford.' Curtiss was an aviation pioneer. In August 1909, Curtiss competed in a Grande Semaine d'Aviation flying contest at Reims, France, organized by the Aero-Club de France. On the first day of the competition, Curtiss was sued by the Wright Brothers, who alleged their patent was being infringed. On May 29, 1910, Curtiss flew from Albany, New York, along the Hudson River, to New York City, to win a 10,000 prize backed by publisher Joseph Pulitzer. The patent dispute continued for several years, closing Curtiss's company, and nearly bankrupting him. With the onset of World War I in 1917, the U.S. government defused the patent issue and Curtiss was soon a millionaire. In fine condition, with some light creasing, mostly to corners, a few traces of light silvering and a small area of adhesive residue to left side. Accompanied by a 1926 TLS from Ford's General Secretary, acknowledging the signature. COA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
We use cookies on this site to improve your experience. By using this site, you accept our use of cookies. To learn more, please see our Privacy Policy.
