Model Find of a Lifetime!

[stuffinder]

A friend and I recently bought this model at auction. It was in storage in a University since being donated by Fred Jerwan sometime in the 1940's! Fred's brother was Shakir S Jerwan who was in the 1st class at the Moisant Aviation School during 1911. The instructor was a Frenchman, Andre Houpert and among his class mates were Harriet Quimby, Matilda Moisant, Harold Kantner, Mortimer Bates, Ferdinand DeMourias & P Wilcox. Shakir Jerwan became Moisant's chief pilot & instructor during 1912. He also lectured on aviation using this model and stereopticon slides starting in the Fall of 1911. I found an article in a Jan 1912 aviation magazine mentioning a lecture he gave at the NY City YMCA in Nov. 1911 using an "operating" model. I don't know who built this 6 ft WS model of a Bleriot XI but they apparently did a good job as he used it in many lectures & classes through 1915. The control stick still warps the wings and the tail surfaces are operational. There is an electric motor to drive the prop but we're hesitant to screw in the 100 yr. connector to a lamp socket to give it a whir! Jerwan & his Bull dog, Monoplane, "mono" for short grace the cover of the book "Animals Aloft"! http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/Animals-Aloft.html In 1915 Jerwan went to Cuatemala and organized their Air Force. Returning home to the USA in 1919 he went into the hotel business. He owned the Cornwall Inn in Cornwall-on-the-Hudson , NY when he passed away in the early 40's.

Regards,
Tom Heitzman
http://www.stuffinder.com Just the "tip of the iceberg" Buying/selling/trading/collecting for 60 plus years 27 full-time!

[grwebster]

tom congratulations on an exceptional find!

[dasimperator]

Noice!

[hovermd]

Remarkable!

[MichaelB]

Most excellent! ...that belongs in a Museum, quote from Indiana Jones!
Super piece; far more than just a toy!

[MichaelB]

Here's a Moisant Bleriot at Houston in 1911. I cannot find a photo of M. Houpert...

[alumtube]

Beautiful Model.
Noticed the ad for that auction in beg of last month, it was somewhere in the NE? It was listed as a prototype or something like that.....

Congratulation to you both.

[stuffinder]

Yes, it was identified as a patent model, Moisant I believe! I've just found out that it was exhibited at the 50th anniversary of a School for the Deaf in 1919. Shakir Jerwan's brother Fuaad (Fred) was deaf and enrolled at the school in 1905-06. He was also involved with Moisant. I believe Fred built the model and Shakir used it in his lectures. The model has most likely been in storage at the school until they sold some property & re-purposed (I think) some buildings recently. It could use a re-rigging as the control wires are slack but since it's been unmolested for over 90 years we'll probably leave it alone.

[Manilaman]

How much did you pay for it at auction?

[stuffinder]

I was made aware of this model by a friend who is a fellow full-time antique dealer with whom I've shared booths at antique shows and done deals with for years. We agreed to combine our knowledge & resources to purchase this airplane. It's too big for me to display anywhere and he's not an aviation collector so it will be for sale at some point in the not to distant future. It's somewhat crass to ask people what they paid for something and reveal it in a public forum! I will say that we paid in the four figure region. This is a one of a kind item over 100 yrs. old and not something that can be easily assigned a price! We will be entertaining serious offers.