1968 Space estate piece - North American Rockwell / Aviation - comments?

This is an unusual (and probably one-of-a-kind) estate piece that just came in. We believe it was made at North American Rockwell (nee North American Aviation). The woodwork on the piece is quite extraordinary. There is a clock at the back, with hidden wiring to a battery compartment on the underside. It weighs 10 pounds and measures 19 inches deep, 12 inches wide, and 11-1/2 inches high to top of clock.

I'm looking for guidance on pricing such an unusual piece, and wonder if anyone has any thoughts about the design and what influences may have gone into it. Thank you! ... Dave

 

Hi @gimbler-dave

I worked at most of the major aerospace companies here in Southern California as a technical illustrator, Rockwell included.

Many had their own department that produced presentation gifts to clients, executives and employees - like handbound books with pictures of the aircraft they manufacturing and trophies for display cases or desks. They had their own photographers, as well.

Some illustrators had worked at Disney and did caricatures for retiring executives and managers. I did these later while working at Chevron, many years later.

Believe it or not, one older illustrator hand cut and finished his own french curves from surplus plexiglass! All that was fair game.

That dial may have been made with the instrumentation group's assistance. (I worked in McDonnell Douglas instrumentation department). Of course there were model makers, as well.

This is very cool - exceptional, really.

There's a good cross-market for retro travel, space and hand made items like this. It wouldn't hurt to find out what spacecraft they were working on!

As you can see by the thingy my dad (bean counter at Hughes Helicopter and template maker) made here, I come by my love of all odd handmade items naturally! (think what he might have done with a computer!)



His nickname was Square Root

 

Thank you scoutshouse - I'm glad you like our piece. I was worried that it might be too esoteric in that the content is not very accessible to most people except for those people that worked on the project. I'm still hoping that someone will be able to tell us, from the shape, what spacecraft this relates to.

Very nice piece that your dad made! I worked at a shop many years ago that had a model making department for automotive contracts, plus some occasional aircraft work. Those guys were amazing, and could have fabricated the 1968 Space piece. This was in the 70's and 80's before there was much in the way of 3-d design on the computer - the shop was just getting into CNC at the time, most everything was still done by hand.

 

Probably Apollo, manufactured in Downey - are you in LA? If you know the name of the person who owned it (from the estate?) that's a possible follow-up.

Unless it sat on the desk of a specific individual, like an engineer or someone else integral to the project, it will probably be scooped up by a set designer or other quirky soul who comes across it. I don't know how you plan on selling it... Very fun thing for the right person.

 

From above front it looks an awful lot like the original Enterprise from Star Trek. Just different enough not to infringe on the TV show's rights to the design. Timing would be perfect too.

You might want to do some research on Rockwell's participation in the NASA programs, particularly Apollo. Just about every aeronautically related company did something, often on combination or partnership with one or more others.

 

I do so want that. Badly. I've a friend who is a real rocket scientist, worked on ISS and earlier stuff. I'll ask him. But yeah, that would be Apollo.

 

Yes, we are in the Los Angeles metro area, home to many aerospace companies and many estates of former aerospace workers. Bakersgma -- interesting you mention Star Trek because that came to my mind as well. There's a part of it where the upper part connects to the base that makes me think of the Enterprise.

 

Well, that was easy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Command/Service_Module

 

Cool!

 

We are closed Tuesday and Wednesday (for our regular weekend), plus Monday this week for the holiday. Scoutshouse -- it looks like you are in the metro area, we would be pleased to show you the piece in person if you ever get to the LAX area -- message me direct for address if you want to follow up. Thank you all for the help, and best wishes for a nice Monday holiday tomorrow!

 

I'm in Pedro

Have to go - check in later

 

My husband and I grew up in Southern California, kids of aerospace Dads. Mine was at Northrup and my husbands was at Rockwell. He and I met at Rocketdyne, Rockwell...a long time ago!

I showed this to him and we both think it looks like some sort of an achievement award that was passed monthly to the department that accomplished something ( different departments/months on side).

I wish there was a museum or repository for aerospace stuff. We both have lots of cool stuff we don't know what to do with.

Nice clock @gimbler-dave!

 

I was the child of an engineer at Grumman, @Melissa Brown! Different coast, of course, but Grumman did a lot of work on the LEM. I spent one summer there during college, while it was still in development. Very exciting to see the result 4 years later.

 

Cool @Bakersgma! Yep, it was exciting stuff. My Dad worked on the first drone systems and had great stories about how surveillance drones came into being (hint...accidentally!) and my husbands Dad worked on the Apollo engines and more at Rockwell. We're going through his belongings now. It's his storage locker that we're sorting through.

 

My late dad worked on the suit here on the East Coast. Hamilton Standard had at least some of the contracts. I'd love to see more of the space stuff as it turns up!

 

My father did the tile & terrazzo work in the assembly building on the cape in the 60's, we used to watch the Gemini shoots go off. Was a great place, no crowds and empty beaches.

 

It's amazing and wonderful how does many companies all over the US contributed to landing on the moon @evelyb30, @coreya, @Bakersgma, and @scoutshouse. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley almost every adult was somehow involved! I'll never forget watching that first step on the moon and the celebrations afterward!

 

It was the same feeling on Long Island, @Melissa Brown.

 

stepdad was w/ Grumman, and worked on Apollo. Wish we'd talked more.

 

He may not have been able to tell you much. My dad wasn't assigned to the Apollo work that I know of, but whatever he was assigned to he couldn't talk about. One day when I was working there, he was delayed picking me up at my building, so I walked over to his, flashed my badge (which showed my security clearance level) and went in to wait. He looked horrified when he came down to see me there. Needless to say I didn't do that again.