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Lot #43
Edgar Mitchell's Apollo 14 Lunar Surface-Flown Bible Text Fragment

Dual-certified Lunar Bible housed within a Faberge Egg

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Estimate: $7500+
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Description

Dual-certified Lunar Bible housed within a Faberge Egg

One of 32 dual-certified Lunar Bible 50-Page ‘Text-Fragments’ presented in a modern Faberge Egg. The iconic ‘Lunar Bible’ represents the first Bible, the first complete scripture, and the first true book ever carried by Man to another celestial world. Printed as a ‘Microform’ tablet—the only format possible for flight to the lunar surface—a complete Lunar Bible contains all 1,245 pages of the King James Version. Having failed to reach the lunar surface aboard the Apollo 13, one hundred identical complete copies of the Lunar Bible successfully landed on the Moon during Apollo 14, having been stored safely within the personal ‘PPK’ bag of moonwalker Edgar D. Mitchell. In an effort to maximize potential recipient numbers, Reverend John M. Stout segmented a small portion of the bibles into 50-page and 2-page sizes following the mission. The accompanying 50-page copy is one of 32 examples encased within modern Faberge Eggs and officially flight-certified by both Mitchell and Reverend Stout, a representative of the former ‘Apollo Prayer League Governing Committee’ during the ‘Lunar Bible Certification Project’ of 2000 and 2001. Accompanied by a two-page certificate of authenticity signed by Mitchell and Stout, and a copy of a five-page affidavit authorized by Stout, both of which are housed within a hand-stained Italian leather presentation portfolio. This lot is of profound significance not only to the space community as a twice-flown and once-landed lunar artifact, but also to the religious, rare book, and Masonic communities—Mitchell was a freemason. Several of the 32 copies are already permanently off the market; the State of Georgia acquired an example for their rare-book holdings, and two more reside in the personal collections of Mitchell's family and Stout. Another 50-page example is on indefinite loan to the Atlanta Masonic Library and Museum, and more of these precious few Faberge examples may become permanently institutionalized and unavailable to collectors in coming years. You may read ‘The Story of the First Lunar Bible’ at www.LunarBible.com.

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Fine Autographs and Artifacts
  • Dates: #502 - Ended June 14, 2017





This item is Pre-Certified by STEVE ZARELLI
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for $25.00

*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.