Getting the story Wright: Collecting First Flight Photos Signed by Orville Wright

Updated December 18, 2024

The famous Kitty Hawk photo of the Wright Flyer lifting from the ground that chilly morning of December 17, 1903, carrying Orville Wright into history is one of the most awesome images capturing a significant moment in time. Orville placed his signature on a sizable number of photos and prints of this image, a highly sought collectable which presents itself often at auction.

There are a variety of forms of these signed images:

Silver gelatin photographic image, various sizes.
Printed image 6.25" by 4.5", with text "First Man-Flight, December 17, 1903, Kitty Hawk, N. C."
Same as above, but including addressed stamped Orville Wright envelope, 6-3/4" by 4-5/8".
Printed image, slightly smaller dimensions than above, with same text.
Printed image 3.5" by 2.5", with text "December 17,1903, First Motor-Flight, Kitty Hawk, N. C."
Postcard image, 7" by 5" card, with text paragraph, card addressed and postmarked.

Silver gelatin photographic images-

Sold by RR Auction, April 25, 2024, $10,989, 9.5" by 7" photograph to Orville's secretary, Mabel Beck.

Sold by Bonhams, November 3, 2021, $4080, 4" by 5.5" photograph.

Sold November 21, 2020, $13,125, 7" by 4.875".

Sold by RR Auction, February 5, 2020, $15,276, 9.75" by 6.75". "To the Honorable Harry S. New, with best wishes, Orville Wright". With note that reads, "This photograph was given to me personally by Orville Wright, whose autograph it carries. For three or four years it was on the wall of the office of the Second Assistant Postmaster General, and after my retirement for the head of the department was returned to me by Mr. W. I. Glover, Second Ass't, in accordance with my request."

Sold by University Archives, September 18, 2024, $5000, 5.33" by 3.75".

Sold by Heritage Auctions, October 17, 2008, $7767, 7" by 4.75", it doesn't get much better than this. In Orville Wright's handwriting, "First Aeroplane Flight, Dec. 17, 1903", and dated May 19, 1939 by Orville. What an amazing example!

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Printed image 6.25" by 4.5", with text "First Man-Flight, December 17, 1903, Kitty Hawk, N. C.-

The printed 6.25" by 4.5" image with text "First Man-Flight, December 17, 1903, Kitty Hawk, N. C." are the most prevalent form provided and signed by Orville Wright. He obviously had a stack of these printed for the purpose of providing this souvenir to those of his choosing. Once signed, each would be inserted into a 6-3/4" by 4-5/8" brown envelope with "Orville Wright Dayton, Ohio" printed as the return address. The recipients address would be hand written by Orville's secretary, Mabel Beck.

The majority of these images are offered without the associated envelope, presumably long lost. When the envelope does accompany the image, the history of recipient's name and address is maintained, as well as the approximate date the image was signed by Orville, based on the postmark.

Sales of 6.25" by 4.5" Orville Wright signed First Flight images plus those with smaller printed dimensions are listed below. No dimension is listed when the standard 6.25" by 4.5". Some of the images were originally this size, but borders were trimmed down, and indicated as trimmed. Note that some of these images have been sold more than once. Item will indicate date of resale, and the dated item can be found earlier in the list- Most recent sales listed first.

2024 Dec 19, RR Auction, 5.5" by 3.75" encased PSA/DNA.........................................$3020
2024 Dec 18, Mynt Auctions, Beckett encased, 5.25" by 3.75", trimmed......................$6900
2024 June 12, RR Auction, $2500 5.75" by 4.25"...........................................................$2500
2023 June 14, RR Auction, PSA/DNA encased..............................................................$4538
2023 May 20, Heritage Auctions.....................................................................................$5750
2023, Feb 22, Heritage Auctions, in frame, 5.5" by 4.5".................................................$5500
2022 Sept 22, RR Auction, PSA/DNA encased..............................................................$5470
2022 May 11, RR Auction, 6" by 4.5"............................................................................. $15,116
2021 Nov 10, RR Auction, trimmed to 5.25" by 3.75" (resold 12/18/24)....................... $3661
2020 Dec 9, RR Auction, in frame...................................................................................$3033
2020 Aug 12, RR Auction, with envelope........................................................................$8011
2019 Oct 2, University Archives, trimmed 5" by 4", glued to sheet................................$1100
2018 Oct 10, RR Auction.................................................................................................$2231
2018 May 9, RR Auction.................................................................................................$2743
2018 May 8, University Archives, 5.5" by 4.25", with 1905 turnbuckle......................... $4000
2018 Apr 11, RR Auction, tear, with front panel of envelope mailed Dec 10, 1930....... $2455
2017 Aug 9, RR Auction..................................................................................................$3369
2016 Sept 14, RR Auction................................................................................................$2933
2016 July 21, Nate D. Sanders Auctions, tear, no paper loss..........................................$2500
2016 July 13, RR Auction, 5.5" by 4", in frame............................................................... $1383
2016 June 21, University Archives...................................................................................$1300
2016 May 11, RR Auction, in frame.................................................................................$1675
2016 Apr 21, RR Auction, 5.75" by 3.75", in frame.........................................................$2079
2015 Nov 11, RR Auction, trimmed to 5" by 3", with envelope...................................... $1257
2015 Apr 9, Heritage Auctions, two tears, no paper loss.................................................$2125
2015 Feb 11. RR Auction, PSA/DNA encased.................................................................$2281
2015 Jan 14 RR Auction, 5" by 3.75", in frame (resold 12/19/24)...................................$2231
2014 Dec 10, RR Auction.................................................................................................$3327
2014 Nov 12, RR Auction, 6" by 4" (resold 6/12/24)....................................................... $1225
2014 Apr 29, Nate D. Sanders Auctions...........................................................................$3750
2014 Jan 30, Nate D. Sanders Auctions, with envelope, March 14, 1930........................$3781
2014 Jan 15, RR Auction, some tears, no paper loss......................................................$2974
2013 Dec 11, RR Auction, trimmed to 5" by 4"............................................................... $3327
2013 Nov 13, RR Auction, 5.5" by 4.5".......................................................................... $2231
2013 Oct 29, Nate D. Sanders Auctions, with envelope August 12, 1930.......................$3125
2013 Oct 16, RR Auction, with 2 cent Wright 1928 stamp..............................................$4789
2013 July 23, Nate D. Sanders Auctions, tear, no paper loss, tape.................................$2772
2013 May 15, RR Auction................................................................................................$4873
2013 Apr 11, Heritage Auctions, tear, no paper loss.........................................................$4780
2012 Oct 10, Bonhams, 4" by 6".......................................................................................$3500
2012 Oct 4, Heritage Auctions, 5.75" by 4.25".................................................................$3346
2011 Sept 22, RR Auction, in frame..................................................................................$4657
2011 Sept 14, RR Auction, 5.5" by 4"...............................................................................$2455
2011 Sept 13, Heritage Auctions, 5.25" by 4.75"............................................................. $2629
2011 Aug 10, RR Auction.................................................................................................$4789
2011 Apr 8, Heritage Auctions, 5.25" by 4", with 2 cent Wright 1928 stamp...................$3346
2009 Jun 16, Heritage Auctions, two tears, no paper loss, with envelope.......................$2151
2008 May 14, RR Auction, 5.5" by 4", dated Mar. 1930....................................................$3279
2007 Oct 25, Heritage Auctions, 6.25" by 4", tears, with cut envelope (resold 4/11/18)...$2629
2006 Feb 21, Heritage Auctions, two tears, no paper loss, other items...........................$6572

Sold by RR Auction, August 12, 2020, $8011, 6.25" by 4.5" printed image, with envelope dated October 12, 1929.

Sold by RR Auction, February 11, 2015, $2881, 6.25" by 4.5" printed image, with envelope. Postmark does not show a date. Image has been encapsulated by PSA/DNA (encapsulation is not the preference of this author, but to each his own. At least the storage method is reversible.)

Sold June 16, 2009, $2151, 6.25" by 4.5" printed image, with envelope. Postmarked January (25?), 1929. Recipients name is covered by image, which has been adhered to the envelope with glue apparently (not a recommended mounting method).

Some printed images unfortunately have been trimmed sometime in their past by previous owners, not affecting the image itself, but reducing the original white border in width or height. This was apparently done in order to fit the image in an album or frame.

Sold by RR Auction, November 10, 2021, $3661, trimmed to 5.25" by 3.75". Resold by Mynt Auctions, December 18, 2024, $6900, encased by Beckett Grading Services.

Sold by RR Auction, November 11, 2015, $1257, trimmed to 5" by 3".

Sold by RR Auction, December 11, 2013, $3327, trimmed to 5" by 4".

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Postcard image, 7" by 5" card, with text paragraph, card addressed and postmarked-

These postcards were printed for the 25th anniversary of flight, December 17, 1928. The first flight photo printed vertically on one end of the card with paragraph stating, "This cut shows the first plane on its initial flight at Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk, N. C. The figure on the right is one of the Wright Brothers. The other brother is navigating the plane. He is lying flat on the wing at its centre with his heels pointing toward the camera. You might be able to see this under a glass. The objects under the tip of the wings are a shovel and a can with a stick in it. The can had grease to oil the track which appears as a black line running horizontally in our cut."

Sold by RR Auction, October 21, 2021, $3583, 7" by 5" postcard, postmarked December 17, 1928, Kitty Hawk.

Sold October 9, 2014, $1062, 7" by 5" postcard, postmarked December 17, 1928, Kitty Hawk.

Sold by RR Auction, February 14, 2024, $3375, 4.5" by 3.25". This example has had the other half of the postcard trimmed away, which is unfortunate. If a collector doesn't desire to see the second half of a post card, it could be mounted in a frame with a cutout such that the other half of the card is hidden from view. This item may have been cut by the original owner over 90 years ago.

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Printed image 3.5" by 2.5", with text "December 17,1903, First Motor-Flight, Kitty Hawk, N. C."-

Sold April 5, 2024, $3750, 3.5" by 2.5"

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Collecting First Flight Photos Signed by Orville Wright

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