Clock, Lindbergh, King Collection

A collapsible plastic travel alarm clock in a metal clamshell case. The case has a green map of the Earth on the inside bottom half. The clock is hinged to the top piece and can be folded away to allow the shell to close. The top of the shell has an engraved image of the Spirit of St. Louis and the text "Spirit of St. Louis New York - Paris May 21 1927" The clock has an off white face with black numbers 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12. The minute and hour hands are black plastic. Two small circles cover the 2, 3, 9 and 10. The left circle has the numbers 20, 40 and 60 and the second hand is red. The right circle ahs the numbers 12, 4, and 8 and the alarm hand is red. The box for the clock is brown cardboard with an image of the clock, open, on the front. "Spirit of St. Louis" is in red lettering on the box. The back of the box has a portion of a green map of the Earth on it. Two folded pieces of paper present in the box contain instructions and the company's guarantee for the clock.

On May 20-21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh literally flew into history when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in his Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, thus becoming the first pilot to fly solo and nonstop from New York to Paris. This flight made Lindbergh a household name and catapulted him into fame and celebrity. The objects of popular culture in the National Collection display everything from ashtrays to wristwatches reflect the public adulation for Lindbergh and the powerful commercial response to his celebrity. More than 75 years after the Spirit's historic flight, Lindbergh's name still has the power help sell manufactured goods.