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les collections aristophil
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ORVILLE WRIGHT (1871-1948)
Lettre dactylographiée signée à Hiram Bingham. Dayton
(Ohio), 28 Février 1928.
1 p. et demie sur 2 f. in-4 (26,8 x 18,4 cm) de papier vélin à
en-tête gravé, encre noire.
6 000 / 8 000 €
Belle lettre au sénateur du Connecticut Hiram Bingham relative à la
décision prise par Orville Wright de pas exposer le premier avion
qu’il dessina et construisit avec son frère Wilbur (le
Flyer
aussi
appelé
Kitty Hawk
) là où il fut essayé, à Kitty Hawk (Caroline du
Nord). Cette lettre évoque aussi ses relations conflictuelles avec la
Smithsonian Institution :
« I have given your letter of the 22nd careful consideration. I have
discussed with a number of my friends, in whose judgment I have
confidence, the proposal of placing the Kitty Hawk machine in a
museum at Kitty Hawk. Not one of them has thought Kitty Hawk
the place for it. It is not my purpose to try to reach the tourist. I
am trying to bring the facts to the university man; the man who
writes history. The Smithsonian campaign of propaganda has
been addressed almost altogether to these people. The influence
on public opinion will be as great from the machine being in the
Science Museum of Great Britain as it would be from being in the
Smithsonian; but of course from national pride I would much rather
have had it in the latter. […] »