Often called the Roaring Twenties, the 1920s were generally marked by people’s feelings of discontinuity associated with modernity and a separation from traditions. Some sense of normalcy returned to politics in the aftermath of the high patriotism from World War I, jazz music exploded, Art Deco came into vogue, and new female archetypes such as the ‘flapper’ challenged then-traditional notions of womanhood.

Industrially and economically speaking, the average American saw the unprecedented, large-scale proliferation of automobiles, telephones, motion pictures, and electricity, to the point where every idea or dream seemed feasible through technology alone. Marvelous industrial growth, accelerated consumer demand and aspirations, and significant changes in lifestyle and culture came to define what we now call the ‘modern life’. However, one industry, and one of its pioneers in particular, came to define the way Americans thought of themselves and their possibilities for the rest of the century.

THE ROARING TWENTIES IN CHICAGO

Aviation had a rising and definitive impact on American life in the 1920’s, and on the way Americans lived and worked. At the start of the decade, only a couple of years after the end of World War I, aviation was still very much a fledgling industry. Companies existed to build military airplanes, and a few civilian companies started to make aircraft for commercial use. Airplane manufacturers including Swallow, Waco, and Travel Air all had their start in the 1920s, along with some companies that still exist to this day, including Ryan and Lockheed.

Airplane designs grew from 80 mph biplanes to speedy race planes flying at over 200 mph, and the airline industry, already established in Europe, started flying over the vast United States. Airplanes such as the Stinson, Fokker and Ford tri-motored airliners all were designed and built during that decade. But one single aviation event in 1927, using  a single-engine plane and careful planning, investment, and calculations, caught the spirit and soul of an entire nation.

CHARLES LINDBERGH & THE 1927 SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS

Six well-known aviators had already lost their lives by the time Charles Lindbergh took Raymond Orteig’s prize-winning challenge to fly solo from New York City to Paris. Known up to that time only by his sometimes death-defying feats and pioneering service as a US Air Mail pilot, Charles Lindbergh took advantage of technology, experience, and opportunity to compete for the $25,000 prize.

A man of calculated risk, Lindbergh was also altogether brave and courageous. “What kind of  man would live where there is no danger?,” he would later say, “I don’t believe in taking foolish chances. But nothing can be accomplished by not taking a chance at all.” Instead of the tri-motor planes that were popular and favored at the time, Lindbergh depended on a single-engine plane that he called the ‘Spirit Of St. Louis’: a fabric covered, single-seat, single-engine "Ryan NYP" high-wing monoplane, custom designed out of San Diego, California. Since weight had contributed to previous crashes, Lindbergh lightened the load of the plane by, among other things, getting rid of non-essential equipment like radios, sextant and parachute (although he did bring an inflatable raft). And finally, contrary to the comfortability of other pilots at the time, he decided to fly into weather conditions that were clearing but not clear enough by then-current standards.

CHARLES LINDBERGH - A COURAGEOUS AMERICAN ABOUT TO SOAR INTO HISTORY

Sometime after this world-famous achievement at the young age of 25, Charles Lindbergh was quoted as saying:  “It is the greatest shot of adrenaline to be doing what you have wanted to do so badly. You almost feel like you could fly without the plane.” Though aviation was his core calling and love, he later went on to succeed as an ambassador for changes and trends in flight technology, an award-winning author, environmentalist and anti-war activist, the last of which being still the subject of much interpretation and recent controversy. Nevertheless, accomplishing such an aviation feat not rivaled until the 1947 breaking of the sound barrier, Charles Lindbergh still deserves to be remembered as a remarkably fearless, relentlessly persistent, and intelligent hero who still today reminds us of a core American belief:  If you put your whole body, mind, soul into what you love to do, anything is possible.

A SCARCE SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH OF CHARLES LINDBERGH IN HIS 1927 AVIATION APPAREL - FROM THE RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX COLLECTION

HISTORIAN AND COLLECTOR - RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX

Charles Lindbergh (1902 1974) - featured  is an Over-sized 9" x 12" Signed Photograph of "Lucky Lindy".  Lindbergh is considered to be one of the most Renowned Navigators in International History.  In early 1927, a wealthy American offered $25,000, (An Eye Popping approximately $500,000 in today's currency), to the First person on Earth that could Fly solo, non-stop from New York City to Paris, France.  Several well-known Aviators lay poised to accept the Challenge.  A few died and some were seriously injured.  However, another well known Aviator, Charles Lindbergh, accepted the Dangerous Challenge and in May 1927, he took off in the "Spirit of St. Louis", without even a Parachute, so that he could have added one extra gas tank - which would  even block a portion of his Important forward vision out of the cockpit window. Another of Lindbergh's Brazen Acts of Courage.

LEGENDARY AVIATOR - 9 X12" SIGNED PHOTO - CHARLES LINDBERGH

Charles Lindbergh also had all other non-essentials thrown off the "Spirit of St. Louis"  before this takeoff.  It is hard to imagine today that anyone could head off into near Total Darkness without the aid of Navigation Equipment and then fly 31+ consecutive hours with Zero Sleep.  Lindbergh took a Bold step but somehow he was determined to make it happen - and this he did.

A VIVID CLOSE-UP OF THE SIGNATURE OF CHARLES LINDBERGH AS SEEN ON THE ABOVE TOP SIGNED 9x12" OVERSIZED PHOTOGRAPH

Also Lindbergh was expected to somehow cross Newfoundland, Greenland and the Barren 2,000 mile Choppy Atlantic Ocean and maneuver himself into a Safe-Landing in Paris.  "Lucky Lindy" was flying a Ryan Monoplane, named "Spirit of St. Louis", which we picture in this feature, and a crowd of an estimated 50,000 Parisians were there to greet Charles Lindbergh - and the admiring throngs of Parisians almost Trampled Charles "Lucky" Lindbergh to Death - the soon to be Most Famous Man in the World.

CHARLES LINDBERGH - A COURAGEOUS AMERICAN THAT SOARED INTO AVIATION HISTORY IN 1927

For this Extraordinary Achievement, Charles Lindbergh was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.  Following this enormous achievement, Lindbergh was besieged by the Press and by all other human species; as now he was, whether he liked it or not, the Most Famous Person on the Planet.

CHARLES LINDBERGH - THE MOST FAMOUS MAN ON THE PLANET

Later, the Stubborn Charles Lindbergh was to cross the path of no return when he made several positive statements about Adolph Hitler and Nazi-ism in the 1930s.  For such words, The President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, found them unforgivable and when Lindbergh Volunteered, at the age of 42, to serve in the Army Air Corps, during World War II, the United States Government refused him. But the Persistent Lindbergh was awarded a contract, as a Consultant to the Ford Motor Company and the United Aircraft Corporation. Eventually, "Lucky Lindy" even wound up flying 50 Combat Missions over the Pacific, during World War 11, once engaging in a Dogfight with a Japanese Fighter.

1. CHARLES LINDBERGH - "THE ADVENTURER" - BY RENOWNED ARTIST - RICHARD KRAUSE
   

Later Lindbergh served as a Consultant in the United States Department of Defense; and the ever persistent Charles Lindbergh became a Brigadier General of the United States Air Force Reserve, in 1954.  But one trait that Charles Lindbergh would never give up was a Major Stubborn Streak combined with streaks of questionable moral lapses in personal judgement - a Series of Unfaithful Relationships.

CHARLES LINDBERGH - "WE DID IT" - NEW YORK TO PARIS IN 31 PLUS HOURS - A POPULAR POSTER IN IT'S DAY

In addition to his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, with whom he had 6 children, one of whom, Charles Lindbergh, Jr., was Kidnapped and Murdered. Following this, Lindbergh went on to have Numerous Affairs.  And each of these was kept quiet by him as well as by the different women involved.  As a result of his multiple affairs Charles Lindbergh apparently became the Father of 7 different children by 3 different women - with all of these Romantic Liaison's in Germany.  All women remained silent until their death and then, recently, irrefutable Evidence came to the forefront.  Even a DNA test was done on one of the children of one of his German mistresses; and with a 97.7% certainty - The Father was declared to be Charles Lindbergh.

HISTORIAN AND COLLECTOR - RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX 2010

Raleigh DeGeer Amyx has tried to provide a balanced portrait of a complex man who, nevertheless, will go down in History as a Great American. The above Oversized 9 x 12" signed photograph of the Famed Aviator may soon be parted with by Mr. Amyx but it is, as of this writing, still an Important addition to The Raleigh DeGeer Amyx Collection (a.k.a.) The American Heritage Collection.