{"product_id":"international-gordon-bennett-race-certificate-from-early-1900s","title":"International Gordon Bennett Race Certificate from Early 1900s","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is an original unissued certificate from the International Gordon Bennett Race, printed in orange. This certificate was never issued. Features a central vignette of an early biplane aircraft with pilot figure beneath, set against an aviation landscape. The design includes portraits of aviation pioneers \u003cstrong\u003eGlenn H. Curtiss\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eClaude Grahame-White\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eCharles Terres Weymann\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFacsimile signature of \u003cstrong\u003eHarold McCormick\u003c\/strong\u003e, the prominent Chicago industrialist whose International Harvester fortune fueled his passion for early aviation. McCormick sponsored aviation events, backed aircraft manufacturers, and helped establish Chicago as a major aviation hub during the pioneering years of flight.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 1909, Chicago emerged as the epicenter of American aviation competition when \u003cstrong\u003eJames Gordon Bennett Jr.\u003c\/strong\u003e, the flamboyant newspaper publisher, established his aviation cup as the world's most prestigious flying contest. The Gordon Bennett Aviation Cup drove rapid advances in aircraft technology and pilot skill, drawing the world's greatest aviators to compete for speed records that pushed the boundaries of early flight. Bennett, heir to the New York Herald fortune, had already made his mark sponsoring automobile and balloon races before turning his attention to the nascent aviation industry. The races helped legitimize aviation as both sport and serious transportation, attracting massive crowds and international attention that proved flight was more than a carnival novelty.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAviation certificates from the pioneering era remain highly sought after by collectors for their historical significance and connection to the heroic age of flight. The inclusion of portraits of famous early aviators adds exceptional appeal to this piece. Offered as a collectible.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ticker History","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52511365890335,"sku":"RR-KCNR-BI-GRN-1894-001","price":199.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0836\/8757\/1743\/files\/international-gordon-bennett-race-certificate-back-1.jpg?v=1777856559","url":"https:\/\/shop.tickerhistory.com\/products\/international-gordon-bennett-race-certificate-from-early-1900s","provider":"Ticker History","version":"1.0","type":"link"}