Rickenbacker Autograph Help Please

11 April 2005, 09:33 AM

Hello,

About 7-8 years ago I purchased most of the inventory of a large aviation bookstore but because I was so busy with work, I never had time to go through it all. Now I'm going through this treasure trove of hundreds of boxes and I've found some pretty extraordinary items.

One thing that I'm trying to research is a paper menu from the 20's that's signed on the back in pencil by

Eddie Rickenbacker and 5 other gentlemen who's autographs I can't make out.

I was wondering if anyone on this board might be able to tell me who these men are so I can research their backgrounds. Please email me for pictures and thanks very much for your time & help.

Ray Holt

Jim · 13 April 2005, 01:10 PM

Eddie left the air service when the war ended and became a businessman. One of his ventures in the 1920s was creating an automobile manufacturing company to build "Rickenbacker" autos. This built on his prewar experience as a racecar driver, but the cars were not popular and after struggling to make a go of it during the 1920s the company went bust.

Rickenbacker was not shy about autographing things and a signed menu from the 1920s is not something you will sell for an amount on which to retire. The other names on it could be anything from some old war buddies to some automotive company or car racing buddies to most anything. Is there any hint on the menu as to whether the meal was in honor of some kind of special event or for a reunion of some kind that would give a clue as to what type of men might have been nearby to sign it along with Eddie?

14 April 2005, 06:15 AM

Hello Ray-
Great find! Do you have the means for downloading an image of the menu on The Forum? If not, can you list the other names? One way to check on who they are is to do a Google Search. Sometimes all it takes is typing in, for instance, "

Eddie Rickenbacker, avaitor" or whatever the name is listed as.... Another way is to go to the site, Who Was Who in American History and doing the same thing. Often these unknown folks turn out to be famous personages from their era! History Fan