Rare Wright brothers posters to be sold at auction

Swann Auction Galleries will offer two posters from 1909 featuring the Wright brothers at its Rare & Important Travel Posters auction on Oct. 18.

Originally met with skepticism in the United States after their initial 1903 flight, the Wright brothers traveled to Europe and became increasingly popular, especially in France after a number of demonstration flights in 1908.

Upon returning to the U.S. with their new-found success, the brothers were greeted by President Taft at the White House, and later returned to their hometown of Dayton, Ohio, for a two-day celebration as seen in The Nation, State and City Welcome the World’s Greatest Aviators. The poster is expected to be auctioned off for between $15,000-$20,000, according to Swann officials.

Orville Wright traveled later that same year to Berlin for a flying exhibition over Tempelhof Field, as depicted inWrights/Flugvorfuhrungen, making 19 flights over Tempelhof in approximately two weeks. This same plane now resides in the Deutsches Museum in Munich, and is the only original Model A to survive. This poster is expected to garner between $12,000 and $18,000.