Coins, Tokens and Historical Medals

United States of America, Curtiss Marine Flying Trophy, 1915, a uniface bronze award plaque by T.B. Starr Inc., view of the trophy, named in exergue (Won by Aeronautical Society of California, Oscar A. Brindley, Pilot), 97 x 61mm. Good very fine, rare
£150-£180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals Relating to Aviation, the Property of a Gentleman.

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Provenance: Baldwin Auction, 9 June 2007, lot 237.

Oscar Brindley (1889-1917), from Athens, Ohio, a mechanical engineer, was taught to fly by Orville Wright in 1910. His natural talent shone through at the 1911 Chicago Air Show. On 31 October 1915 he was victorious in the national aerial competition for the Curtiss Marine Trophy, covering 526 miles in 10 hours and defeating the favourite, Raymond Morris. Brindley was killed in a flying accident at Dayton, Ohio, on 1 May 1917, having just been made chief inspector of the government-sponsored aviation field near Dayton. He was buried in Washington with full military honours