On May 20-21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh literally flew into history when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in his Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, thus becoming the first pilot to fly solo and nonstop from New York to Paris. This flight made Lindbergh a household name and catapulted him into fame and celebrity. The objects of popular culture in the National Collection display everything from ashtrays to wristwatches reflect the public adulation for Lindbergh and the powerful commercial response to his celebrity. More than 75 years after the Spirit's historic flight, Lindbergh's name still has the power help sell manufactured goods.
Gift of the Stanley King Family.
A bookend that has turned green with age and features a relief Lindbergh's entire body. The figure of Lindbergh is standing in a flight jacket and pants wearing a tie. His left hand is resting on his hip while his right hand rests at his side. Behind Lindbergh’s body the nose and tail of the Spirit of St. Louis is visible. The wing of the aircraft extends from behind Lindbergh and is wider than the base of the bookend. "WE" has been set in relief to the right of Lindbergh just underneath a crescent that has been engraved into the metal.