{"product_id":"orville-wright-bank-ledger-1918-1934","title":"Orville Wright Bank Ledger 1918-1934","description":"\u003cp\u003eORVILLE WRIGHT\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePersonal Bank Passbook, Dayton, Ohio, 1918–1934\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstimate 25,000 to 45,000.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eSmall leather-bound bank passbook issued by The City National Bank, Dayton, Ohio, to aviation pioneer Orville Wright, co-inventor with Wilbur Wright of the first successful powered airplane.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOctavo passbook with embossed leather cover titled “The City National Bank — Dayton, Ohio,” the front featuring an oval cut-out label reading “In account with Orville Wright.” Interior title page similarly inscribed in manuscript.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe volume contains extensive handwritten banking entries spanning 11 December 1918 through 28 October 1934, recording deposits, withdrawals, and running balances entered by bank clerks in ink and pencil.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNumerous transactions involve substantial sums, including deposits exceeding $50,000 and balances frequently above $30,000–$100,000, reflecting Wright’s considerable personal wealth during the decades following the commercialization of his aviation patents and engineering work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe entries document Wright’s financial activity during a mature phase of his life when he remained a central figure in aeronautics, serving on the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and maintaining influence within American aviation circles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ledger provides a rare continuous record of Wright’s personal finances in Dayton across sixteen years, covering the period between the First World War and the early years of the Great Depression.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNotable Transactions\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSeveral entries stand out within the ledger:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDecember 1918\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInitial entries include deposits exceeding $51,000, indicating a substantial starting balance shortly after World War I.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEarly 1920s\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRepeated deposits between $5,000 and $30,000, likely reflecting investment income and residual licensing revenues from aviation patents.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCirca 1929–1930\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne entry records a $20,000 transaction, an exceptionally large sum for the period.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1930s entries\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBalances continue to fluctuate between roughly $30,000 and $50,000, demonstrating Wright’s continued financial stability during the early Depression years.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn addition to major deposits, the book records routine withdrawals and payments, offering insight into Wright’s everyday expenditures and financial management.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHistorical Importance\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePersonal financial records of the Wright brothers are exceedingly scarce outside institutional archives. While individual signed checks occasionally appear on the market, a complete banking ledger documenting sixteen years of financial activity provides an unusually intimate look at the economic life of one of the founders of modern aviation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSuch records illuminate the transformation of the Wright brothers’ early experimental work into a lasting financial enterprise through patents, licensing agreements, and consulting work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProvenance\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcquired from the Wright family estate in the Miller sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eModerate wear to leather covers; interior pages toned with handling marks and occasional ink smudging consistent with long-term use; writing legible throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e1. The Opening Deposit — December 1918\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne of the first entries shows a deposit around:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e$51,537.99\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor context:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 1918, this equals roughly $1.1–$1.2 million today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhy this matters:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1918 was right after World War I, when aircraft production exploded. Wright had already sold the Wright Company in 1915 but still had patent settlements and investments.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis opening deposit likely represents:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• investment income\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• settlement payments\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• accumulated aviation patent royalties\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt establishes that Wright entered the postwar period extremely wealthy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2. A Massive Balance Entry (~$99,000)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother page shows a balance around:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e$99,958\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat equals roughly:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e$2.5–3 million today\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor a private individual in Dayton in the 1920s, this is enormous.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt confirms Wright was among the wealthiest private citizens in Dayton during that era.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3. The $20,000 Deposit (around 1930)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne page clearly shows:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e$20,000\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring the Great Depression era.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdjusted value today:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e~$380,000\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePossible sources include:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003einvestment income\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003epatent licensing\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003econsulting or engineering payments\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEven during the Depression, Wright was still receiving very large payments.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4. Regular Deposits Between $5,000–$30,000\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThroughout the book there are repeated entries like:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e$5,362.25\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e$6,029.10\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e$9,503\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e$12,539\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e$15,275\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e$19,472\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese likely reflect:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• dividend payments\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• investment income\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• licensing revenues from aviation technology\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWright was known to maintain large investment portfolios after selling the Wright Company.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e5. Evidence of Daily Personal Spending\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne fascinating page (the last image) lists expenses such as:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOhio Bell Telephone Co.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDayton Power \u0026amp; Light\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWilliam Lewis (several days wages)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSaturday Evening Post subscription\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAviation magazine subscription\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003edrugstore items\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis page is extraordinary because it shows ordinary life for the inventor of the airplane.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExample entries:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMercurochrome\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePeroxide\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSnuff\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eElectric bills\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003etelephone bills\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e6. The Aviation Magazine Entry\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne line reads:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Aviation — 1 yr subscription”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is almost certainly the early aviation trade journal Aviation Magazine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat means Wright was actively following developments in aviation decades after 1903.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e7. The Personal Ledger Page (Extremely Interesting)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe page listing expenses is probably not bank-entered.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe handwriting appears personal.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe can provide photos of all pages to bidders.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Princeton Audubon Prints","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51874738766106,"sku":"EB-327039555401","price":21177.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_bf551fde-9861-4928-8fb2-0c3bcafaa91f.jpg?v=1774662229","url":"https:\/\/princetonaudubonprints.com\/en-ca\/products\/orville-wright-bank-ledger-1918-1934","provider":"Signature Documents LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}