Orville Wright signed Check - 1918 dated Autograph Check - Beautiful Condition

Winters National Bank check signed by Orville Wright.

Born on August 19, 1871, in Dayton, Ohio, Orville Wright (1871-1948) was a visionary inventor and pioneer who, alongside his brother Wilbur, revolutionized human history. Growing up in an intellectually curious household, Orville dropped out of high school to start a printing business before transitioning into the rapidly growing bicycle industry. It was during their Wright Cycle Exchange shop that the brothers honed their mechanical skills and engineering intuition, preparing them to tackle the challenge of flight.

Driven by the tragic news of glider crashes in Europe, Orville became obsessed with aerodynamics and the concept of “three-axis control.” He believed that a pilot must possess the same ability to balance a bicycle as to navigate a craft.

Orville’s career reached its zenith on the morning of December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. At 10:35 AM, he took control of the Wright Flyer and achieved the first powered, controlled, and sustained flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft. The Flyer traveled 120 feet in just 12 seconds. While Wilbur was his equal partner in design, Orville’s steady hand guided the historic first leg.

Following the success, Orville dedicated years to defending their patents and refining aircraft designs. Even after Wilbur’s early death in 1912 and Orville’s subsequent sale of the Wright Company, he remained an influential figure in aviation. He served on the board of NACA (the precursor to NASA) until his passing in 1948.