{"product_id":"jacob-jake-zint-neil-armstrongs-astronomer","title":"Jacob „Jake“ Zint – Neil Armstrong's astronomer","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJACOB “JAKE” ZINT — HAND-SIGNED COVER WITH HANDWRITTEN LETTER\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA Rare Personal Link to Neil Armstrong’s Early Interest in Astronomy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOffered here is a highly evocative \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ehand-signed cover together with a handwritten letter by Jacob “Jake” Zint\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, an amateur astronomer from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWapakoneta, Ohio — Neil Armstrong’s hometown\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eZint operated a small private observatory above or adjacent to his garage in Wapakoneta and is remembered for sharing his enthusiasm for astronomy with local youngsters. Among those who reportedly visited his observatory was a young \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNeil Armstrong\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, who came into contact with Zint through his Boy Scout years.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThese visits have long been cited in accounts of Armstrong’s youth as part of the environment that helped nurture his early fascination with astronomy, aviation and space. While it is impossible to assign Armstrong’s later career to any single influence, Zint represents a particularly appealing personal connection to the formative years of the boy who would eventually become the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003efirst human to walk on the Moon\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor collectors of Armstrong and Apollo memorabilia, this material offers something quite different from conventional astronaut autographs or NASA-issued ephemera. It relates not to Armstrong after he had become an astronaut, but to the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003esmall-town world of Wapakoneta in which his interests first developed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe inclusion of Zint’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ehandwritten letter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, together with the signed cover, gives the piece an especially personal character and provides a direct autograph example from an individual associated with Armstrong’s early exposure to amateur astronomy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCOLLECTOR SIGNIFICANCE\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eItems connected with Neil Armstrong’s childhood and formative years are considerably less commonly encountered than material relating to his NASA career.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJacob Zint occupies a fascinating place in that early history: an amateur astronomer in Armstrong’s hometown whose observatory was reportedly visited by the future Apollo 11 commander during his youth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs such, this signed cover and handwritten letter form an unusual and intimate piece of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003epre-NASA Armstrong-associated history\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — a connection to the period before test pilot, astronaut, Apollo 11 and worldwide fame.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJacob “Jake” Zint\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWapakoneta amateur astronomer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHand-signed cover\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOriginal handwritten letter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn uncommon association with the early life of Neil Armstrong\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Been in Space","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58412589285640,"sku":"12765","price":99.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1490\/3832\/files\/12765_659700ca-3aad-4f56-a7de-a4d9e0efef7b.jpg?v=1786392275","url":"https:\/\/www.beeninspace.com\/products\/jacob-jake-zint-neil-armstrongs-astronomer","provider":"BEEN IN SPACE","version":"1.0","type":"link"}