[APOLLO 13 & 14]. LUNAR LANDED MICROFORM KING JAMES BIBLE FRAGMENT - THE FIRST BIBLE CARRIED TO THE SURFACE OF THE MOON

FLOWN TO THE LUNAR SURFACE ON APOLLO 14 — THE KING JAMES BIBLE TEXT FRAGMENT

50-PAGE MICROFORM FRAGMENT FROM THE KING JAMES VERSION OF THE BIBLE. Cleveland and New York: World Publishing Co., Ca 1964

FLOWN 50-page microform fragment (1/4 by 1/4 inches), housed in a silvered and gilt metal modern Fabergé egg, applied with gilt bows and swags, the reeded stem applied with gilt floral swags and 3 small agate cabochons. Amethyst finial reattached. Blue velvet box, with a brass plaque affixed to the front that reads "Apollo 14 | Lunar Surface Bible Text Fragment | 50 Pages." Accompanied by: A letter of certification SIGNED by JAMES W. STOUT of the "Apollo Prayer League Committee" and EDGAR D. MITCHELL, and dated 2 June 2001.

ONE OF ONLY 32 ASTRONAUT FLIGHT-CERTIFIED TEXT FRAGMENTS FROM THE FIRST BIBLE CARRIED TO THE SURFACE OF THE MOON

With the efforts to take the Bible to the Moon on Apollo 12 and 13 having failed, a third, successful attempt was made with the assistance of Apollo 14 Lunar Module Pilot Edgar D. Mitchell. Given NASA’s weight restrictions, rather than a large heavy codex, a new microform technology known as “PCMI” introduced by the National Cash Register Company in 1964 was adopted. Mitchell carried 100 of the microform bibles aboard the Lunar Module Antares, as confirmed by NASA's official manifest, and they reached the "Fra Mauro Highlands" of the Moon on 5 February aboard the Antares. Once returned to Earth and released from lunar quarantine, Mitchell presented Rev. John Stout with the packet of 100 bibles.

PROVENANCE

Reverend John M. Stout (transported to the lunar surface and returned to Rev. Stout by astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell)