Tie Clip, Airplane Model, Lindbergh, King Collection

A silver tie clip with a hinge and a spring. A figure of the Spirit of St. Louis is on the front flat piece of the clip. The plane has "NX211" engraved on the underside of its wing and "Spirit of St. Louis" on the nose. The airplane has two wheels and a wing that extend beyond the clip. The teeth of the clip are arranged in a wave pattern with peaks and troughs.

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.