Rare NASA and WWI Artefacts Head to Auction

A range of rare historical artefacts, including astronaut-signed spacecraft hardware from NASA’s Apollo and Space Shuttle programs, will go under the hammer next month in Los Angeles.

Consisting of more than 250 objects, the one-day sale on Feb. 1 at Julien’s Auctions spans a dizzying range of categories, from collectibles signed by the world’s most famous politicians, writers, aviators, and scientists, to war regalia and other military accessories.

From the actual parts of the NASA Space Shuttle program that were flown in space to uniforms and accessories used in combat in the Great War as well as a collection of letters from the brilliant minds of our times, this is one of Julien’s most exceptional history auctions to date,” Martin Nolan, executive director and co-founder of Julien’s Auctions, tells Penta.

A portrait of Albert Einstein with a signed sheet.
Julien’s Auctions

The items span more than 300 years and include artefacts from the first mission to the moon.

“Many of these important museum-worthy objects represent the powerful achievements of the great innovators and trailblazers whose impact helped create the modern age,” Nolan said in a news release.

Lots from some of history’s most iconic space journeys include an original, space-flown rocket booster lid and orbiter wing insulator panels. Also up for grabs is a selection of photographs signed by Apollo 11 crew members Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins.

Hobbyists with a focus on military history and conflict can choose from uniforms, accessories, newspapers, and everyday objects from bygone eras. Original World War I items such as a British Army steel combat helmet, a U.S. Marine Corps wool uniform, and a spiked German Pickelhaube helmet all carry presale estimates between US$300 and US$500.

A spiked German Pickelhaube helmet from World War I
Julien’s Auctions

An assortment of literary greats, scientific pioneers, and influential politicians will be represented with signed notes and ephemera. Boldface names include Eleanor Roosevelt, the Dalai Lama, Carl Jung, Albert Einstein, and Dorothy Parker.

Among the more notable examples is a typed and signed Hunter S. Thompson letter dating from 1959, in which the notable author describes his short-lived attempt to earn money by driving a taxi cab and how his mother keeps asking him when he’s going to finish his book. Also available is a collection of eulogies and correspondence relating to the death of John F. Kennedy, featuring statements and appreciation cards from Richard Nixon, Nelson Rockefeller, and various members of the Kennedy family.

Other highlights include a Bell X-1 model rocket research plane signed by Chuck Yeager (presale estimate: US$600 to US$800), and a cloche hat from Amelia Earhart Fashions, the 1933 fashion line designed by the aviator to help fund her circumnavigation of the globe (estimate: US$2,000 to US$3,000).

The number of U.S. billionaires in the world reached 870 in mid-January, outpacing the number in China for the first time in 10 years, according to a snapshot of the wealthiest in the world by the Hurun Report.

The U.S. gained 70 billionaires since last year, powered by a rising stock market, a strong dollar, and the insatiable appetite for all things AI, according to the 14th annual Hurun Global Rich List . China gained nine billionaires overall for a total of 823. Hurun is a China-based research, media, and investment group.

“It’s been a good year for AI, money managers, entertainment, and crypto,” Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman and chief researcher of the Hurun Report, said in a news release. “It’s been a tough year for luxury, telecommunications, and real estate in China.”

Overall, the Hurun list—which reflects a snapshot of global wealth based on calculations made Jan. 15—counted 3,442 billionaires in the world, up 5%, or 163, from a year ago. Their total wealth rose 13% to just under $17 trillion.

In November, New York research firm Altrata reported that the billionaire population rose 4% in 2023 to 3,323 individuals and their wealth rose 9% to $12.1 trillion.

Elon Musk, CEO of electric-car maker Tesla and right-hand advisor to President Donald Trump, topped the list for the fourth time in five years, with recorded wealth of $420 billion as of mid-January as Tesla stock soared in the aftermath of the U.S. election, according to Hurun’s calculations.

The firm noted that Musk’s wealth has since nosedived about $100 billion, falling along with shares of Tesla although the EV car maker is benefiting on Thursday from Trump’s 25% tariff on cars made outside the U.S.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Musk’s wealth stood at about $336 billion as of the market’s close on Wednesday, although measuring his exact wealth —including stakes in his privately held companies and the undiscounted value of his Tesla shares—is difficult to precisely determine.

The overall list this year contained 387 new billionaires, while 177 dropped off the list—more than 80 of which were from China, Hurun said. “China’s economy is continuing to restructure, with the drop-offs coming from a weeding out of healthcare and new energy and traditional manufacturing, as well as real estate,” Hoogewerf said in the release.

Among those who wealth sank was Colin Huang, the founder of PDD Holdings —the parent company of e-commerce platforms Temu and Pinduoduo—who lost $17 billion.

Also, Zhong Shanshan, the founder and chair of the Nongfu Spring beverage company and the majority owner of Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise , lost $8 billion from “intensifying competition” in the market for bottled water. The loss knocked Zhong from his top rank in China, which is now held by Zhang Yiming founder of Tik-Tok owner Bytedance. Zhang is ranked No. 22 overall.

Hurun’s top 10 billionaires is a familiar group of largely U.S. individuals including Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Larry Ellison. The list has France’s LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault in seventh place, three notches down from his fourth ranked spot on the Bloomberg list, reflecting a slump in luxury products last year.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is ranked No. 11 on Hurun’s list as his wealth nearly tripled to $128 billion through Jan. 15. Other AI billionaires found lower down on the list include Liang Wenfeng, 40, founder and CEO of DeepSeek, with wealth of $4.5 billion and Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, with $1.8 billion.

Also making the list were musicians Jay-Z ($2.7 billion), Rihanna ($1.7 billion), Taylor Swift ($1.6 billion), and Paul McCartney ($1 billion). Sports stars included Michael Jordan ($3.3 billion), Tiger Woods ($1.7 billion), Floyd Mayweather ($1.3 billion), and LeBron James ($1.3 billion).

Wealth continues to surge across the globe, but Hoogewerf noted those amassing it aren’t overly generous.

“We only managed to find three individuals in the past year who donated more than $1 billion,” he said. Warren Buffet gave $5.3 billion, mainly to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, while Michael Bloomberg —ranked No. 19 with wealth of $92 billion—gave $3.7 billion to various causes. Netflix founder Reed Hastings, ranked No. 474 with wealth of $6.2 billion, donated $1.1 billion.

Rare NASA and WWI Artefacts Head to Auction

The U.S. now has more billionaires than China for the first time in a decade, driven by AI and a booming stock market.