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Lot 114
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Historic Richard E. Byrd Archive incl Snowshoes he wore on his 1st Antarctic Exp
Historic Richard E. Byrd Archive incl Snowshoes he wore on his 1st Antarctic Exp
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Description:

Byrd Richard 1888 - 1957 Amazing Historic Richard E. Byrd Archive including the Snowshoes he wore on his first Antarctic Expedition in 1928, with impeccable provenance Notarized Letter of Provenance signed "Peter D. Todd," one page, 8.5" x 11", March 10, 2011. In part, "After my Mother's passing in 2004 I inherited an archive of things that have been passed down through two generations. The archive is items, letters and books all pertaining to Admiral Richard E. Byrd's Polar expeditions. They were given to my Great Grandfather William H. Todd by Byrd himself as a gesture of appreciation for his financial backing and ship fitting. William H. Todd … became a master Ship Fitter at the Pusey & Jones Shipyard in the early 1880's and as Foreman oversaw the building of the America's Cup defender ‘Volunteer'. He left for New York City in the early 1890's and took a job in the N.Y. Navy yard and Robbins Dry Dock & Repair Company. He rose through the ranks to a senior management position and in 1916 brought together three separate companies to form Todd Shipyards Corporation.

"Through WWI and the beginnings of the Merchant Marine the shipyard built many Naval ships as well as Liberty Ships. In the 1920's William Todd became a very influential and popular businessman in New York City. He was close friends with Governor Alfred E. Smith as well as many of the pioneers in Aviation at the time such as Wiley Post, Charles Lindbergh, Eddie Rickenbacker, ‘Wrong way' Corrigan and Richard Byrd. In 1925 he provided part of the funding for Byrd's flight over the North Pole In 1928 he provided similar funding as well as help in finding a proper ship for the first Antarctic Expedition. He located and refitted a ship called the ‘Chelsea' and Byrd renamed it the ‘Eleanor Bolling' after his Mother.

"When Byrd returned from the Antarctic he presented his personal pair of snowshoes as well as other items that were used on the expedition to William Todd in appreciation of all his help. It is with all of this history that Todd and Byrd became close friends and a direct result of the Todd family coming into possession of this archive.

"The archive includes First Edition copies of Byrds books most remarked [with inscription], a pair of snowshoes that are tagged ‘First Byrd Antarctic Expedition' [sic, ‘1st Byrd Expedition to S. Pole'] and several original letters and copies of correspondence with William Todd as well as a signed photo of Byrd. It is with great pleasure that I do hereby transfer ownership of the aforementioned Byrd archive to John Reznikoff of University Archives on this day March 10, 2011."


Archive comprises:


(1) The pair of "Peary Model" snowshoes worn by Richard E. Byrd on his first expedition to the Antarctica in 1928. Measuring 11" wide, at its widest, by 60", the binding, webbing, wooden toe bar, and wooden heel are in fine condition. On one side of each toe bar is a gold and red imprinted 3.5" x 0.75" label: "This Filling Guaranteed Not to Sag / The Tubbs Snowshoe" / Manufactured by / W.F. Tubbs Co. Norway, Maine, U.S.A." Carved imprint on the other side: "Genuine / Tubbs Snow Shoes / Mfd by / W.F. Tubbs Co. / Norway Maine U.S.A." Stamped on the frame to the left of this side of the toe bar: "PEARY MODEL / 11 x 60." Walter F. Tubbs had worked for his neighbor Alanson M. "Mellie" Dunham, Jr. making snowshoes before he started his own company. Robert E. Peary grew up in Maine. Mellie designed the unusually long and narrow snowshoes Peary wore on his 1908-1909 expedition to the North Pole. Fine condition.


(2) Light brown shipping tag, 4.75" x 2.25", with reinforced eyelet, string attached. Penned in unidentified hand: "1st Byrd expedition to / S. Pole." Worn, chipped, and creased with partial diagonal split archively reinforced on blank verso.


(3) Typed Letter Signed "R E Byrd" with six word handwritten postscript, one page, 8.5" x 11". Byrd Arctic Expedition stationery, Navy Building, Washington, March 30, 1926. To Mr. Wm. H. Todd, New York City. Receipt stamping "Todd Shipyards Corp" in blank upper right crossed out in pencil. Stains on verso. Heavy upper horizontal fold. Fine condition.

In full, "We expect to leave New York City for Tromso, Norway, Monday, April 5th. I am writing to ask if you will take luncheon with me on this date and inspect with me the ship and equipment. If you can do this, will you arrive about 12 o'clock? We could have luncheon after inspection, and then we will shove off for the Arctic. The ship will be alongside a dock in the Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y. I should be glad for you to bring with you any guests you may desire." In a handwritten postscript, Byrd adds, "We are deeply grateful to you."


(4) Typed Letter Signed "R E Byrd Jr," one page, 8.5" x 11". Byrd Arctic Expedition stationery, Navy Building, Washington, April 3, 1926. To Mr. William H. Todd, New York City. Fine condition.

In full, "I cannot leave without telling you how very grateful we all are for what you have done for us. As a matter of fact, without the assistance you have given us, we would probably have gotten off for the Arctic so late that we would have run the danger of not being able to accomplish our mission for lack of time. Then, too, the cost of the work would have placed me in an embarrassing position. Personally, I shall never forget what you have done for us. I imagine that it will be difficult for you to understand what you really have done for us. We have been making a hard fight, and the matters we had up with you were very vital. With the best of good wishes and sincerest personal regards."

On May 9, 1926, five weeks after writing this letter, Byrd and his pilot Floyd Bennett attempted a flight over the North Pole. They flew from and back to the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen. Byrd claimed to have reached the Pole, earning Byrd and Bennett widespread acclaim, including being awarded the Medal of Honor.

(5) Photograph Signed "Dick Byrd" with 15-word inscription. Black & white, 7.5" x 9". Affixed to sturdy cardboard of same size. Bust photograph inscribed in light and dark portions with good contrast: "To J. Herbert Todd / with warm regards / and deep appreciation / for invaluable / assistance to the / Byrd Antarctic / Expedition / from / Dick Byrd / Aug 31, 1928 / N. Y. City." Six days earlier, Byrd's flagship "City of New York," began its voyage to Antarctica. Fine condition.


(6) Book Signed "R E Byrd" with inscription. "Skyward" by Commander Richard E. Byrd, U.S. Navy. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1928. Third impression, April 1928. 359 pages, 5.75" x 8.75". Blue boards, no dust jacket. Gilt-lettered on cover and spine. Slight wear at joints and upper and lower edges of spine. Frontispiece loose. Map of Byrd's flight to the North Pole on endpapers. Very Good condition.

Inscribed on the verso of the frontispiece: "To William H. Todd 2nd / and J. Herbert Todd Jr / with cordial good wishes / from / R E Byrd / N.Y. City / July 4,1928."


(7) Book Signed "Dick Byrd" with 19-word inscription. "Little America" by Richard Evelyn Byrd, Rear Admiral, U.S.N., Ret. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1930. Third impression, December 1930. 422 pages, 6.25" x 9.5". Bright blue boards, no dust jacket. Gilt-lettered on cover and spine. Very Good condition.

Inscribed in the wide lower margin beneath Byrd's frontispiece portrait, "To William H. Todd my friend / with everlasting appreciation / for helping to make our / expedition possible and / with the warmest regards / Dick Byrd / Dec. 30, 1930." In Byrd's November 16, 1930 Foreword, on page viii, he thanks "Mr. William H. Todd" – an arrow has been penned in the left margin pointing to the line. In Chapter II, "Plan, Preparation and Problem," on pages 28-29, Byrd writes how Todd and his son Herbert helped in the outfitting of the two ships on the Antarctic expedition. The upper right corner of page 29 has been folded over.


(8) Book Signed "R E Byrd" and "Dick Byrd" with 27-word inscription. "Little America" by Richard Evelyn Byrd, Rear Admiral, U.S.N., Ret. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1930. 436 pages, 6.25" x 10". Sky blue boards over beige cloth, spine rubbed. No dust jacket. Gilt-lettered on spine. Half-title loose. Deckle edges. Very Good condition.

Author's Autograph Edition noted to be Number "R3" and, in ink, "Presentation copy / G.P. Putnam's Sons," signed " R E Byrd." Inscribed on the half-title page, "To William Todd my / friend with deep and / everlasting appreciation / for his contribution to / the success of our / Antarctic expedition, I / present this volume / with the warmest regard / Dick Byrd / Dec 30, 1930."


(9) Presentation Copy "Into the Home of the Blizzard" by Commander Richard E. Byrd "On the Eve of His Departure for the Antarctic Commander Byrd Explains Why He Attempts the Exploration of the Frozen Continent by Air and Discusses Problems He Must Solve." New York: The New York Times Company, 1928. Softcover, deckle edges. 32 pages, 6.5" x 10". Illustrated with small drawings on each page. On printed page preceding title, completed in manuscript: "Presented to / Mr. William H. Todd / with the compliments of /Commander Richard E. Byrd / with sincere appreciation / of generous assistance / in the financing of the / Byrd Antarctic Expedition / Number 359." Includes article "Byrd's Base Ship and His Antarctic Village" by Russell Owen. Fine condition.


In 1928, Commander Richard E. Byrd began his first expedition to the Antarctic with two ships, S.S. "City of New York" (S.S. "Samson" was renamed by Byrd) and S.S. "Eleanor Bolling" (S.S. "Chelsea" was renamed in honor of his mother), and three airplanes. Byrd's flagship, "City of New York," left Hoboken, New Jersey, on August 25, 1928, with 200 tons of material aboard and 33 people. "Eleanor Bolling" sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, on September 25th with 300 tons of supplies and 28 people. The dog drivers and 94 dogs with 40 tons of dog biscuit were taken aboard the Norwegian whaling ship "Sir James Clark Ross" at Norfolk, Virginia. Byrd departed the United States from San Pedro, California, on October 10, 1928, aboard the Norwegian whaler "C.A. Larsen" with the aircraft, gasoline, oil, and 100 tons of supplies loaded aboard in Norfolk; aviation personnel had also boarded in Norfolk. The three ships embarking from the east coast to New Zealand passed through the Panama Canal. After unloading cargo and men, "C.A. Larsen" remained in New Zealand and "Sir James Clark" went on a whaling voyage. Now heavily laden, "City of New York" and "Eleanor Bolling" left Dunedin, New Zealand, for the Antarctic on December 2, 1928. "City of New York" reached Antarctica's Bay of Whales on December 28th and on January 1, 1929, a site was selected for the base camp which Byrd named Little America. On November 28-29, 1929, Byrd flew with pilot Bernt Balchen from Little America to the South Pole and back in 18 hours 41 minutes.

From Byrd's "Little America," Chapter II: "The cost of outfitting these two ships, including the original price, was $285,000. This work was done at cost, as an act of friendship, by Mr. William Todd at the Todd Ship Yard. This represented a considerable saving. The distinguished naval constructor, Captain Gatewood, offered to superintend the refitting, and he and Mr. Todd's son, Herbert, and engineer, Bill Smith, rendered us invaluable services … No doubt it would have been better in every way had we seen our way clear to build new vessels, constructed especially with the Antarctic navigation problem in view; but new ships are very expensive, and such advantages are luxuries denied all but a few expeditions…"

The March 4, 1928 edition of "The New York Times," in an Associated Press story, quotes Byrd as he discussed his plans for his trip to the South Pole as he "reclined in an easy chair at the governor's mansion" in Richmond (his brother Harry was Governor of Virginia). In part, "On the final dash for the pole we shall carry a primus stove, a reindeer sleeping bag, two months' food supply, including pemmican, chocolate, tea, hardtack and dog food. We will also have skis, snowshoes, medical kits, extra clothing and rifles and ammunition."

Founded in Norway, Maine, in 1906 by Walter F. Tubbs, now based in Seattle, Washington, Tubbs Snowshoes "controls the largest share of the snowshoe market" according to James Prosek in his February 6, 2004, article "Making Tracks In a World Gone Silent" in "The New York Times." The company's website at tubbssnowshoes.com boasts "From Admiral Byrd's famed expedition to Antarctica, to modern day adventure racing, Tubbs manufactures snowshoes for all types of terrain and snow conditions."

William H. Todd (1867-1932) founded the Todd Shipyards Corporation in 1916 when he consolidated the Robins Dry Dock and Repair Company of Brooklyn of which he was president, with other yards in Hoboken, N.J., and Seattle, Washington. It became the largest company of its kind in America. Ironically, the guided missile destroyer USS "Richard E. Byrd" (DDG-23), launched in 1962, was built by the Todd Shipyards Corporation in Seattle.

J. Herbert Todd (1893-1977) was Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors of Todd Shipyards Corporation from his father's death in1932 until 1946. For the next 10 years, he was an independent consultant in the shipping industry. For a time he was President of a Todd subsidiary, Todd Drydock Engineering and repair Corporation. In the summer of 1928, J. Herbert Todd was in charge of the men who refitted "City of New York," then called "Samson," for the Antarctic Expedition.

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