{"product_id":"1909-wright-brothers-check-to-charles-e-taylor-lorin-wright-signed-flyer-engine-builder","title":"1909 WRIGHT BROTHERS CHECK to CHARLES E. TAYLOR — LORIN WRIGHT Signed — Flyer Engine Builder","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\n\u003cspan role=\"text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWright Brothers Check Signed by Lorin Wright, Payable to Charles E. Taylor, Builder of the Wright Flyer Engine\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDecember 11, 1909 — Dayton, Ohio\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Winters National Bank\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e$18.00\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn exceptionally desirable original document connecting \u003cstrong\u003ethree central figures in the history of powered flight\u003c\/strong\u003e: the Wright brothers and Charles E. “Charlie” Taylor, the mechanic who built the engine that powered the historic Wright Flyer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis original \u003cstrong\u003eDecember 11, 1909 check\u003c\/strong\u003e was drawn on the Winters National Bank of Dayton, Ohio, and is made payable to \u003cstrong\u003eC. E. Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e for \u003cstrong\u003eEighteen Dollars\u003c\/strong\u003e. The check is signed \u003cstrong\u003e“Wright Brothers” by Lorin Wright\u003c\/strong\u003e, with his initials \u003cstrong\u003e“L.W.”\u003c\/strong\u003e beneath the signature. On the reverse is the handwritten endorsement of \u003cstrong\u003eCharles E. Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e, providing an especially compelling physical connection between the Wright brothers and the man who built the engine for their first successful airplane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCharles E. Taylor — The Man Behind the Engine\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCharles E. Taylor occupies a unique place in aviation history. When Wilbur and Orville Wright were unable to find a commercially available engine sufficiently light and powerful for their Flyer, Taylor constructed the engine for them in their Dayton bicycle shop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe resulting four-cylinder engine powered the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk on \u003cstrong\u003eDecember 17, 1903\u003c\/strong\u003e, when the Wright brothers achieved the first sustained, controlled, powered flights by an airplane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTaylor's contribution was therefore not peripheral. \u003cstrong\u003eHis mechanical work made the Wrights' powered-flight experiments possible.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe National Park Service identifies Taylor as the Wright brothers' mechanic and notes his critical role in constructing the engine for the Flyer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eA Fascinating Wright Brothers Financial Document\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e$18.00 amount\u003c\/strong\u003e is particularly interesting. Other Wright Brothers checks to Taylor from this period are also recorded for $18, suggesting that this payment relates to Taylor's regular compensation from the Wright operation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe December 1909 date is also significant. By this time, the Wright brothers had progressed from their experimental work at Kitty Hawk to international recognition and commercial development of their airplane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike a later commemorative autograph, this is an \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal contemporary business document created during the Wright brothers' working lives\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Taylor Endorsement\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerhaps the most desirable feature of this check is the reverse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCharles E. Taylor personally endorsed the check:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eC. E. Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThus, the document preserves both sides of the transaction:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWRIGHT BROTHERS → CHARLES E. TAYLOR\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor collectors of early aviation, Wright Brothers material, and historically important American manuscripts, this direct association is considerably more desirable than an ordinary cancelled Wright Brothers check.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAuthenticity \u0026amp; Signature\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe check is signed \u003cstrong\u003e“Wright Brothers” by Lorin Wright\u003c\/strong\u003e, rather than by Orville Wright personally. This distinction is important and is reflected in the description.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLorin Wright handled financial matters for the Wright family and signed numerous checks on behalf of the Wright Brothers during this period. The handwriting and format are consistent with known Lorin Wright-signed Wright Brothers checks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reverse bears the original handwritten endorsement of \u003cstrong\u003eCharles E. Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCondition\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginal early-20th-century bank check on Winters National Bank, Dayton, Ohio. The check exhibits expected handling, folds, cancellation markings and a cancellation punch, together with general age toning and minor edge wear. \u003cstrong\u003eThe signatures and handwritten endorsements remain clear and highly legible.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCollector Significance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an unusually evocative Wright Brothers document because it connects:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWilbur \u0026amp; Orville Wright\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003ePioneers of powered flight\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLorin Wright\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eFamily member and financial representative who signed the check\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCharles E. Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Wrights' mechanic and builder of the engine that powered the 1903 Flyer\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFew ordinary financial documents tell such a direct story of the people behind the invention of the airplane.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52686556397850,"sku":null,"price":1095.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2085.jpg?v=1786484092","url":"https:\/\/www.thearchiveauthority.com\/products\/1909-wright-brothers-check-to-charles-e-taylor-lorin-wright-signed-flyer-engine-builder","provider":"Signature Documents LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}