Boyington "group"

[juvatwad]

Does anyone know the history on this group that sold in 2015? I'm curious, because it surfaced for significantly  less than it's sale price at the auction ((< 1/10th)). I picked it up basically for the patch and print. The patch is legit, although I'm sure he had a bunch of those. 

 

https://www.icollector.com/World-War-II-Aces-Memorabilia-Lot-Pertaining-to-Famed-Marine-Corps-Ace-Gregory-Pappy-Boyington-and_i17062007

[manayunkman]

I’m not familiar with the price of the patch but quite often people overpay at auction.

[pararaftanr2]

The myth that "Mike" Kawato was the man who shot down Boyington was debunked several years ago. https://www.warbirdforum.com/kawato.htm

He did the airshow circuit several decades ago touting this claim and promoting his book. Historical research has proved otherwise though.

[Brig]

I see no provenance that the patch was ever Boyington's and not just picked up as a representative piece long ago.

[juvatwad]

The letter from the IAHOF regarding the patch being traded by Boyington’s wife is the provenance offered. 

[manayunkman]

What does the letter look like?

[juvatwad]

Here it is. I believe she was his third wife, divorced sometime before 1978:

[pararaftanr2]

In the late 1970s through early 1980s, Boyington toured the airshow circuit signing autographs and selling his books, art prints and reproduction photos and patches. It was a cottage industry to supplement his retirement income and played off the popularity of the "Black Sheep Squadron" TV show that aired from 1976-1978. Note the date of the letter in the last post. 

 

[juvatwad]

The patch was posted in the appropriate forum here and is real.

 

Also the letter states the patch was donated years prior to the 1976 date.

[Brig]

Weak provenance on the patch.

[pararaftanr2]

From looking at the information shown in the link you provided to the original auction of this "grouping", it looks like it was put together by a David Marshall from San Diego, CA in the mid-late 1970s. A Boyington autographed book from 1976, a print and book signed by Mike Kawato in 1979, and a patch, supplied by the International Aerospace Hall of Fame in San Diego in trade for a set of balloon pilot wings in 1976. Apparently the IAHF collection was subsequently destroyed by an arson fire in 1978.

[manayunkman]

Yes it was destroyed by fire in 1978.

 

I lived in SD at the time and volunteered to sift through the wreckage for anything salvageable.

 

They had a large selection AVG donated items and the Red Barons Pour le Merit.

 

It was a sad day.

 

The letter is much better than no provenance at all.

[juvatwad]

18 hours ago, manayunkman said:

The letter is much better than no provenance at all.

 I agree, and from your brief comment regarding some of the stuff they had, this patch having belonged to Boyington is more likely than not.

On 7/12/2020 at 5:58 PM, pararaftanr2 said:

From looking at the information shown in the link you provided to the original auction of this "grouping", it looks like it was put together by a David Marshall from San Diego, CA in the mid-late 1970s. A Boyington autographed book from 1976, a print and book signed by Mike Kawato in 1979, and a patch, supplied by the International Aerospace Hall of Fame in San Diego in trade for a set of balloon pilot wings in 1976. Apparently the IAHF collection was subsequently destroyed by an arson fire in 1978.

I agree with this as well, but it was worth it.

[Brig]

18 hours ago, manayunkman said:

Yes it was destroyed by fire in 1978.

 

I lived in SD at the time and volunteered to sift through the wreckage for anything salvageable.

 

They had a large selection AVG donated items and the Red Barons Pour le Merit.

 

It was a sad day.

 

The letter is much better than no provenance at all.

Not really, it doesn't seriously increase value with people willing to pay those prices. I wouldn't pay more than sum of the parts for this group with that letter

[juvatwad]

The items resurfaced for less than 1/10th the auction selling price, so for a few hundred bucks, I was happy to pick it up.