P J Carisella Collection Auction

Taz · 26 February 2005, 09:42 PM

On March 14-16 2005 Julia Auctions will offer ~80 lots of Von Richthofen and other WW-I aviation memorabilia. Included are hardware, wood pieces, and fabric taken from Dr.I 425/17 and clothing and other items removed from MvR's body. Also photos, albums, uniforms, autographed memorabilia and

Eddie Rickenbacker memorabilia. http://www.juliaauctions.com/

Lot numbers are 1328-1408. Provenance is everything and these pieces (most of them) certainly have it. Too bad the collection could not have been kept together by a museum. Prohibitively expensive, though.

Taz

Gregvan · 27 February 2005, 03:10 PM

Hi Taz,

Hey, thanks for bringing this to our attention. Absolutely amazing stuff. As you say, it should all be in a single museum somewhere (rightfully, Germany). Too bad. Wish I was a millionaire at times like this, instead of a humble Iowa school teacher.

Greg

Taz · 27 February 2005, 03:50 PM

Greg- There are probably some affordable items in the list, but who knows what will strike some rich guy's fancy and go off the scale. Would love to have just one piece from a Dr.I (any Dr.I) like the strut section or even the turnbuckles, but cannot tell anywhere near what they they will go for. Would also love to have the autographed small national markings pieces. Looks like about 15-20 irreplaceable autographs. Also the two collections of MvR photographs/albums. Wimper, wimper. Probably should just save the images from the catalog, since that is about as close as I will get. Did you know Carisella?

Taz

Gregvan · 27 February 2005, 05:01 PM

Hi Taz,

No, I never met Carisella. Sue Fischer knew him though. He and Charles Conald both came along and were in the right place at the right time to acquire loads of this amazing stuff.

Like you, I'd be interested to see what all is in those photo albums and negatives, etc. Sigh....

Greg

Gregvan · 27 February 2005, 05:06 PM

Er, that's Charles Donald, not Conald. I have to learn to proofread my posts.

Greg

pmirl · 27 February 2005, 09:53 PM

Well, as some of you know I am building a 1/4 scale remote control DRI and have already aquired a strand of hair of MvR to place in the cockpit and was looking for a small part of 425 to add to it. Looks like I found many parts, but far out of my price range! Wonder how much they would want for just a thread?

Paul

pmirl · 27 February 2005, 10:36 PM

Well, if you can't afford the real thing...improvise!

Paul

Taz · 28 February 2005, 11:23 AM

Fred Murrin knew Carisella and got a guided tour of the collection. There was a lot of it.

Taz

Jim · 28 February 2005, 01:02 PM

Anything is possible, but after looking through those listings and reading the provenances associated with them I wasn't overly convinced about any of the provenances. They all seem to be second or third party things and at those prices combined with the incentive from the very first day to manufacture MvR souveniers I would want something a lot stronger.

FliegerJG1 · 28 February 2005, 08:09 PM

There's a story that's gone around that says Carisella dug up MvR's original grave site in France and later sold some of the bones. Does anyone know anything more about this?

VBR..FliegerJG1