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Collection of seven debris fragments attested as salvaged from the wreckage of the LZ 129 Hindenburg, the famed rigid airship that burst into flames and crashed while attempting to land at Lakehurst Naval Air Station, New Jersey, on May 6, 1937. The relic group, which consists of assorted fabric, metal, and plastic fragments, is said to have been collected by United States Marine Howard L. Davis in the days following the disaster and is accompanied by 18 original snapshot photographs taken by Davis at the site of the crash.
The fragments include two irregular pieces of silvered exterior skin material, likely aluminum-coated doped fabric from the dirigible’s outer covering; a vivid red fabric remnant and a larger maroon-brown textile section, possibly from treated fabric covering or interior material; two twisted and heat-affected metal fragments, including a machined strip with evenly spaced semicircular cutouts and another riveted structural piece; and a translucent amber-colored plastic fragment. The pieces display varying degrees of oxidation, deformation, and burn exposure consistent with the destruction of the airship.
Included are 18 original glossy 2.75 x 1.75 snapshot photographs taken at the Lakehurst crash site, most depicting the collapsed duralumin framework and burned skeletal remains of the Hindenburg from varying distances and perspectives. Several images show expansive views of the twisted wreckage scattered across the landing field, while others offer closer studies of the exposed structural ribs and debris. Two photographs diverge from the primary wreckage imagery, one appearing to show a flagpole and shoreline or parade-ground scene with military vehicles in the distance, and another depicting a group of figures lying or resting in a field. In overall very good to fine condition.
Accompanied by a signed provenance letter from a descendant of the original owner, explaining that the relics and photographs descended through the family of Howard L. Davis, a United States Marine stationed at the New York Navy Yard between April 1937 and June 1938. According to the family account, Davis visited Lakehurst within days of the disaster, either in an official capacity or independently, and recovered the fragments while photographing the crash scene. The letter states, in part: “He recovered the fragments and took several original photographs of the scene. These items have remained in our family since that time and have been passed down through generations to my husband and myself.”
