The photos of the lot are informative and indicative, and cannot provide a highly detailed view of the object from all angles. We recommend a careful physical inspection of the lot before bidding.
The photos of the lot are informative and indicative, and cannot provide a highly detailed view of the object from all angles. We recommend a careful physical inspection of the lot before bidding.
147. Postcard illustrating the "Queen of Heights", Smaranda Brăescu, October 2, 1931, with autograph
Starting price
Pretul de pornire si cel estimat nu sunt preturi de vanzare efective
EUR 50
Sold
Pretul de pornire si cel estimat nu sunt preturi de vanzare efective
EUR 800
Session
Tue, 15 February 2022 19:00
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Smaranda Brăescu was the first woman certified skydiver in Romania, European champion in parachuting (1931) and world champion (in 1932, with the record of 7200 m in Sacramento, USA). On July 5, 1928 she made her first parachute jump from a height of 600 metres. On October 2, 1931, she won the European skydiving title after a jump from a height of 6000 meters, breaking the American record of 5384 meters. Following this success, she was awarded the Order of Aeronautical Virtue - Gold Cross class. Owner of two planes, a Pevuez biplane and a twin-engine Milles Hawk, in 1932 she set the first record for crossing the Mediterranean Sea in 6 hours and 10 minutes, covering a distance of 1100 km between Rome and Tripoli. In the same year 1932, on May 19, she became world champion in parachuting, after a jump made with a Romanian-made parachute, from a height of 7400 meters, lasting 25 minutes, this record being beaten by only a few meters, only 20 years later. Her record has been endorsed by the Washington Aero Club. The previous record, held by an American, was 7233 metres. She was one of the few military parachute instructors. She served as an instructor at the 1st Parachute Battalion in Băneasa. During the war she was active as a pilot in the famous "White Squadron" of medical planes on the Eastern Front. Signatory, along with 11 other personalities (including General Aldea, Prof. Grigore T. Popa), of a memorandum condemning the falsification of the November 1946 elections, a document submitted to the Allied Control Commission, in fact to the American delegate, who handed it over to the Soviet one. She was sentenced by the Communists to imprisonment in absentia, not being found in the "Sumanele Negre" (En. "Black Cloaks") trial to be part of the National Resistance Movement [MNR] together with the commander of the Special Missions Company of the Parachute Battalion Captain Mihai Țanțu and Victor-Ionel Sassu (paratrooper officer). Sheltered by kind-hearted people - Professor Ion I. Gheorghiu from Iași and priest Matei Dumitru - she was never found. She was also sought out by Soviet officials to train Soviet soldiers. She hid for a while in her twin brother's vineyard, in the house of Greek-Catholic priest Anton Pet, in Răchiteni, Iași county and in Butea. Nicknamed "Queen of the Heights", Smaranda Braescu also has in her aeronautical record: the absolute world altitude record in parachute jumping in 1932 in the United States of America, a series of European air raids, participation in numerous domestic and international air shows and last but not least participation as a volunteer in the Second World War, both on the Eastern and Western fronts.
Dimensions
width 9 cm, height 14 cm, custom 14 Ã 9 cm
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For clarifications regarding the bidding procedure, hammer price costs, guarantee, payment, and collection terms for the winning lot, we recommend carefully reading/re-reading the Bidding Regulations.
For additional information regarding the lot and the auction, please contact the Art Consultants Department.
Detalii
Smaranda Brăescu was the first woman certified skydiver in Romania, European champion in parachuting (1931) and world champion (in 1932, with the record of 7200 m in Sacramento, USA). On July 5, 1928 she made her first parachute jump from a height of 600 metres. On October 2, 1931, she won the European skydiving title after a jump from a height of 6000 meters, breaking the American record of 5384 meters. Following this success, she was awarded the Order of Aeronautical Virtue - Gold Cross class. Owner of two planes, a Pevuez biplane and a twin-engine Milles Hawk, in 1932 she set the first record for crossing the Mediterranean Sea in 6 hours and 10 minutes, covering a distance of 1100 km between Rome and Tripoli. In the same year 1932, on May 19, she became world champion in parachuting, after a jump made with a Romanian-made parachute, from a height of 7400 meters, lasting 25 minutes, this record being beaten by only a few meters, only 20 years later. Her record has been endorsed by the Washington Aero Club. The previous record, held by an American, was 7233 metres. She was one of the few military parachute instructors. She served as an instructor at the 1st Parachute Battalion in Băneasa. During the war she was active as a pilot in the famous "White Squadron" of medical planes on the Eastern Front. Signatory, along with 11 other personalities (including General Aldea, Prof. Grigore T. Popa), of a memorandum condemning the falsification of the November 1946 elections, a document submitted to the Allied Control Commission, in fact to the American delegate, who handed it over to the Soviet one. She was sentenced by the Communists to imprisonment in absentia, not being found in the "Sumanele Negre" (En. "Black Cloaks") trial to be part of the National Resistance Movement [MNR] together with the commander of the Special Missions Company of the Parachute Battalion Captain Mihai Țanțu and Victor-Ionel Sassu (paratrooper officer). Sheltered by kind-hearted people - Professor Ion I. Gheorghiu from Iași and priest Matei Dumitru - she was never found. She was also sought out by Soviet officials to train Soviet soldiers. She hid for a while in her twin brother's vineyard, in the house of Greek-Catholic priest Anton Pet, in Răchiteni, Iași county and in Butea. Nicknamed "Queen of the Heights", Smaranda Braescu also has in her aeronautical record: the absolute world altitude record in parachute jumping in 1932 in the United States of America, a series of European air raids, participation in numerous domestic and international air shows and last but not least participation as a volunteer in the Second World War, both on the Eastern and Western fronts.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For clarifications regarding the bidding procedure, hammer price costs, guarantee, payment, and collection terms for the winning lot, we recommend carefully reading/re-reading the Bidding Regulations.
For additional information regarding the lot and the auction, please contact the Art Consultants Department.
Dimensions
width 9 cm, height 14 cm, custom 14 Ã 9 cm
Brought to you by
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