WRIGHT, Orville (1871-1948). A correspondence, including eight typed letters signed (“Orville Wright” and “Orville”), to Earl Findley (1878-1956), Dayton, 9 February 1915 to 5 February 1946 (but most dating between 1915 and 1921), together with...

WRIGHT, Orville (1871-1948). A correspondence, including eight typed letters signed (“Orville Wright” and “Orville”), to Earl Findley (1878-1956), Dayton, 9 February 1915 to 5 February 1946 (but most dating between 1915 and 1921), together with outgoing carbons from Findley to Wright, other related correspondence and printed matter, including a blueprint of Curtiss’s plane.

In total 43 pages, average 280 x 215mm (creased where folded for mailing).

“I can not tell you how much I appreciate the favor you have been doing me in helping get evidence for use in the upcoming Curtiss trial, and I am anxiously waiting to hear the result of the investigation abroad.” A revealing correspondence, showing the extent to which patent wars consumed Wright as he sought to gather detailed information about fellow aviator Glenn Curtiss’s 1914 America model. Findley relays the news that another Observer reporter – a Mr Stiles – spent several weeks with Curtiss and would go on the record stating: “On several occasions, I have had Curtiss tell me that while the Wright patent could be avoided through the system of ailerons operating upward one at a time, the old system was to his mind the best.” On 3 May 1915, Wright responds in no uncertain terms: “that all of the Curtiss machines at the Curtiss School at San Diego are being operated in the old fashion, in spite of Curtiss’ affidavit in this suit that he is not building any machines, excepting for the United States Government, to operate in this manner. You probably have noticed that his advertisements call particular attention to the efficient single acting aileron control, which he is not using at all!” Years later, Wright recalls another incident with Curtiss (6 February 1934): “I have just read Beck’s article on Wilbur’s flying at New York. His memory is not very accurate in quite a number of particulars,” and goes on to state that Wilbur’s 1909 flight was set to earn $15,000, while Glenn Curtiss’s was only a third of that (Curtiss never flew so was only paid $1000). He continues later, “I was in Germany at the time of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration [in 1909], but soon after my return while Wilbur and I were seated at a table in a restaurant in New York, Curtiss came over and sat down with us at our table. At this time a suit for infringement was pending against him! He made the proposition that we join forces in suing for the balance due on our contracts. We told him that the celebration had been run at a great financial loss and that we would not ask for a further payment.” Other correspondence in the file relates to press coverage in the area of aviation and Wright’s and Findley’s efforts to correct statements they deemed untrue, including Wright’s 10-page outgoing carbon to Mr. Alexander McSurely of Aviation News, which begins, “Thanks for the copy of Early Powerplane Fathers. I had not seen it before, but I had heard, several years ago, that Zahm was about to publish a ‘book’ which would be an attack on the Wright Brothers, though they would not be named specifically. I presume this is that book.” Overall an important correspondence that underscores Wright’s exhaustive attempt to control his invention and its legacy.

Pre-Lot Text
PROPERTY FROM THE WRIGHT BROTHERS AND LINDBERGH PAPERS OF AVIATION JOURNALIST, EARL FINDLEY