379 a
NASA / Unidentified Photographer

Columbia’s successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean; President Nixon and astronaut Frank Borman watching recovery operations from the bridge of USS Hornet

Apollo 11, July 16-24, 1969, 195:53:46 GET

Two vintage gelatin silver prints on fiber-based paper, each 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), the first numbered “S-69-21137” (NASA MSC) in black in top margin, the second with NASA KSC caption on the verso

379 b
NASA / Unidentified Photographer

The spacecraft Columbia back to Earth after its historic voyage

Apollo 11, July 24, 1969

Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), stamped “S69 21784” with NASA MSC caption and “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso

379 c
Robert Madden

Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin back to Earth after their voyage to another world

Apollo 11, July 24, 1969

Vintage gelatin silver print on fiber-based paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), with NASA KSC caption numbered “69-H-1205” on the verso
20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in)

379 c
Paris, Galeries nationales du Grand Palais, La Lune: Du Voyage Réel aux Voyages Imaginaires, April-July 2019; exhibition catalogue, p. 25, no. 18, illustrated.

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Lot Essay

379 a
Gathered around the landing point to greet the three intrepid space travellers aboard Columbia were 9,000 men in 9 ships and fifty four aircraft, spearheaded by the prime recovery ship USS Hornet. Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins splashed down 13 miles from USS Hornett, 900 miles south east of Hawaii, eight days after they were launched on their historic lunar landing mission.

379 b
Columbia is hoisted on deck of recovery ship USS Hornet following its successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

Columbia had just travelled 1,534,832 km in 8 days, 3 hours, 18 minutes and 35 seconds.

379 c
Robert Madden (American, 20th Century) for National Geographic took this picture of the Apollo 11 astronauts smiling through the window of the quarantine facility aboard USS Hornet following their recovery and completion of their historical lunar landing mission. They are speaking with
President Nixon.

“Aglow with triumph, the lunanauts greet the world from the quarantine trailer on Hornet. They wear the NASA insignia and an Apollo 11 emblem depicting an eagle bearing an olive branch, symbol of peace, to the Moon” (National Geographic, December 1969, pp. 786-87).