Music Box, Airplane Model, Lindbergh, King Collection

A music box in the shape of the Spirit of St. Louis that has a decal attached to the nose just behind the propeller that reads "Spirit of St. Louis" in black text. The propeller is connected by a shaft to the music box that is located in the body of the airplane. It contains a metal cylinder with small teeth that turns against a metal comb that is attached to a series of gears. When the key that is located on the side of the airplane is turned the music box plays and the propeller spins.

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.