Lot 1185

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Description:

PAUL TIBBETS' ZIPPO LIGHTER, FLOWN ON THE 'ENOLA GAY'
An exceedingly rare and desirable relic, a black Zippo lighter carried by Enola Gay pilot PAUL TIBBETS (1915-2008) on his historic August 6, 1945 mission in the B-29 bomber Enola Gay in which he delivered an atomic bomb over Hiroshima, devastating the city, killing up to 150,000 people and with the bombing of Nagasaki, effectively ending World War II. The lighter is a standard issue black 'crackle finish' Zippo with insert, serial number illegible due to the finish. The insert is no doubt original and a bit corroded, else very good with flint wheel still operable. Accompanied by a copy of Tibbets' original Sep. 8, 1989 letter of provenance in his hand on his personal letterhead (original lost by our consignor) reading in full: 'To Whom It May Concern: The enclosed black Zippo lighter, which was given to me by George Caron, my tailgunner, was carried by me when we dropped the bomb on Hiroshima (never used much). Regards Paul W. Tibbets'. Tibbets didn't use the lighter much as he preferred to smoke a pipe. At some point, Tibbets returned the Zippo with his letter of provenance to Caron as a keepsake. Caron in turn sold it to a Zippo collector who sold it to our consignor over thirty years ago. Any flown relics from the Enola Gay are excessively rare, if not unobtainable.

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*SEE ADITTIONAL SHIPPING ABOVE* -Shipments are sent via FedEx and DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option. Due to complications from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we will ship with USPS Priority Mail only if the buyer submits their request to us in writing and accepts responsibility for delayed shipments. Signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

June 15, 2023 10:00 AM EDT
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000