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The History List

1938 book with rare print from the original negative of the only photo of the Wright Brothers’ first flight

Name: 1938 book with rare print from the original negative of the only photo of the Wright Brothers’ first flight
Brand: The History List
SKU: RAREFINDS-WRIGHTBROTHERS-BOOK
Price: 345.0 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

Product variants

Updated at 9:15 pm Eastern on December 4: This book has been sold.

We're looking forward to sharing next week's Rare Find with you. Sign up for the weekly e-mail notification that goes out Thursday nights at 9 pm on our Rare Finds page.

— Lee Wright | Founder

. . .

Book from the dedication of the Wright Brothers Home and Shop in Greenfield Village on April 16, 1938. In very good condition, without marks of any kind throughout and no bent or soiled pages.

The thing that makes this book even more valuable is the that it includes a print from the original negative of the only picture taken of that first successful flight on December 17, 1903.

Note that the print is attached and the wrinkling is normal.

However, not all books include the print. There were some made with an inexpensive commercial reproduction and a different caption.

My assumption is that the book we’re offering and the others with the rare print were given possibly to those who had attended the dedication, and that additional copies of the book, without the photo (and with a different caption) were printed and made available more widely, such as to libraries.

Historical background

Henry Ford assembled a collection of all sorts of wonderful historic items for his museum, including buildings for his “Greenfield Village” in Dearborn, Michigan.
Two of those were the Wright Brothers home and shop in Dayton, Ohio. Ford acquired these two buildings and had them disassembled, shipped, and reassembled in his Greenfield Village.

According to the museum:

Wilbur and Orville Wright operated their Dayton, Ohio, bicycle business out of this building from 1897 to 1908. The brothers sold and repaired bikes, and even produced models under their own brands. It was also in this shop that the Wright brothers built their earliest flying machines, including the 1903 Flyer that became the first successful heavier-than-air, powered, controlled aircraft.

I highly recommend a visit. The entire huge museum and Greenfield Village are filled with wonderful things. (I’ve included my photo from last May.)

A 62-page book was created for the dedication on April 16, 1938. The book is very nicely done. With a label on the front, crisp type, and deckled edges.

Some of the books included a photo that, albeit wrinkled, is very rare. It is the famous photo we have all seen of their successful flight on December 17, 1903 at Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina. (A side note: As you probably know, many people died experimenting with craft that they hoped would fly. The Wright Brothers, intentionally or not, stared this in the face every day: There was an undertaker next door to them in their small building, and if that isn’t tempting fate, they chose Kill Devil Hills for the flight.)

As you can see below the photograph, this print is from the original negative of the only picture taken of “man’s first flight, Kitty Hawk, N.C., December 17, 1903.” (Emphasis added.) They actually flew at Kill Devil Hills, about 4 miles south of Kitty Hawk. The airplane flew 852 ft on its fourth flight. It was damaged on landing and later blown over and damaged beyond what they could repair there.

Today the aircraft is on exhibit in the West Wing of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., which re-opened in October 2022. My photo is from my visit there last March.

Shipping

For shipments to addresses within the U.S. (scroll down for International shipping)

Flat-rate shipping: Regardless of the number of items you order, the shipping price for shirts, caps, unframed prints and posters, bracelets, lapel pins, pendants, and button packs is $5.95.

For hooded and crewneck sweatshirts, mugs, and blankets, the shipping cost is $8.95.

Our flat rate shipping means you can add two or more t-shirts, sweatshirts, or caps for no additional shipping charge.

Note that some large or heavy items, including larger framed prints, may have a different shipping charge or a shipping surcharge. When they do, it will be noted on the product page.

Timing

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We ship most orders via USPS, so if the post office is closed, we won't be shipping orders that day.

If you need to receive your order by a certain date, such as to give as a gift or have for a trip, we recommend ordering at least two weeks in advance, especially if you are using USPS shipping.

If you're looking for reliable, on-time deliveries, we strongly suggest upgrading to "UPS 3 Business Day Select Shipping."

Additional notes:

When fulfillment takes longer, such as around the Christmas holidays, we'll put up an announcement in the site and will list recommended shipping deadlines below.
If an item is out of stock, we will contact you.
If one of your items is an advance order, that will be noted on the product page along with an estimate of when it will ship. If that estimated date changes, the product page will be updated.

Charges for shipping to destinations in the United States and to APO, DPO, and FPO addresses

Free shipping

On stickers, magnets, decals, patches, static clings, and individual button pins.

US Postal Service shipping - The least expensive, though also less reliable than UPS. (See more on UPS in the next section.)

$5.95 for shirts, caps, unframed prints and posters, bracelets, lapel pins, pendants, button packs.

Regardless of the number of items you order, the shipping price is still fixed at $5.95. Our flat rate shipping means you can add another t-shirt, cap, or book for no additional shipping charge.

$8.95 for hooded and crewneck sweatshirts, mugs, and blankets.

We strongly recommend using UPS, especially in November and December.

UPS 3 Business Day Select

Note: UPS 3 Business Day select is not available for addresses in Hawaii and Alaska. If UPS is selected for Hawaii or Alaska, the order will be shipped UPS Ground.

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UPS's normal (non-holiday) delivery guarantee is by the end of the third business day, and this includes delivery on Saturday. This applies to the 48 contiguous states.

$14.95 for shirts, caps, unframed prints and posters, bracelets, lapel pins, pendants, button packs.
$18.95 for hooded and crewneck sweatshirts, mugs, and blankets.
If the actual shipping cost is significantly higher than what we’re charging, we will contact you to discuss alternatives.

UPS Overnight (Next Business Day Delivery)

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For shipments to addresses outside the United States

Destinations

We only ship to locations that are served by US Postal Service International Service.

Charges

Canada and Mexico

$18.00 for shirts, caps, unframed prints and posters, bracelets, lapel pins, pendants, button packs.

$24.00 for hooded and crewneck sweatshirts, mugs, and blankets.

Rest of the World

Rates starts at $65.00.

Additional charges for all destinations

Some large, heavy items may have an additional shipping charge. If that's the case, it will be noted on the product page.

If the actual shipping cost is significantly higher than what we’re charging, we will contact you to discuss alternatives.

All original designs are copyrighted by The History List

All designs are copyrighted by The History List and the History Nerd text and design on t-shirts is a registered trademark. If you see a knock off, please let me know.