An Orville Wright-signed patent office document realised $15,000 at Nate D Sanders on March 31.
 The Wright brothers invented the world's first successful aeroplane |
The lot dates to 1916 and authorises the transfer of patents to a group of investors for an undisclosed sum.
At the time the Wright brothers - who had achieved the world's first heavier-than-air, powered flight, in 1903 - licensed their patents in the US, making it expensive to build aircraft there. As a result, the nation had fallen behind Europe.
Unfortunately for the investors, the US government decided to release the patents into the public domain a year after the sale in order to kick-start the air industry.
Click here to check out all our space and aviation memorabilia.
Please sign up to our free newsletter to receive exciting news about space and aviation auctions.
