U. S. Navy Commander Allan Stein Hand Drawn/Painted Poster Signed by Admiral Richard Byrd with Original Photographs of Operation Highjump Antarctic Expedition, Bikini Island et al. from This Era

Rare original collection of large photographs and illustrations including a painting of Byrd in caricature form. Painting features whimsical penguin atop a South "pole" and oversized depiction above of Byrd smoking corn-cob, in prop plane flight with the words: "Fly High with a Byrd Special". Signed and inscribed by Admiral Byrd: "Good work Allan and Alice, warm regards, Dick Byrd." The poster is hand drawn and painted by Allan Stein and his wife Alice Stein measuring 16" x 20" and mounted on Bainbridge board stock. Also, nine Allan Stein original photographs (with two additional mounted duplicates) including photo of 1945 illustration of a kamikaze Zero attacking a U. S. Hornet war ship, two from 1950 in the Bering sea near Alaska. An extra-wide original of bomb test at Bikini Atoll, et al. All of the original photographs are of varying dimensions and each is mounted on board stock measuring approximately 16" x 20". At back side of boards, many have additional description and details including Stein's address stamps from San Diego, Detroit, Antarctica while at Little America, couple with description of camera, film, settings, etc. Most have hangers ready for display. Three photographs are from Admiral Byrd's Operation Highjump by Commander Stein, who was an appointed Navy photographer for the unusual expedition. "South Polar Plateau Antartica 1946-47" full-size of board and with stamp at back: "Lt. Allan E. Stein, Motion Picture Div. N.P.C. N.A.S. Anacostia, D.C." Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Washington, D.C. "Antartic Dwellings, Summer Night, 1946-47" of Little America III encampment. Printed by Stein at back: "Frozen Stories, Little America's III, Summer Nite". Also, stamps: "Photographic Creations - Movie Stills by Allan E. Stein, Valley View Lodge, Phoenix; and, Photo Credit, Allan E. Stein, 16186 Blackstone Ave. Detroit 19, Mich." There is a mounted duplicate of this photo with further notation, stamps. "Antartic Camerman 1946-47" photo signed by Allan Stein with Phoenix and Anacostia stamps to back. Also photo note card with title, camera settings, etc. adhered at back. "Iced Railings" or "Heavy Icing" in the Bering Sea of the USS Burton Island, 1950 (and two mounted duplicates of this same photo). Stamps for Phoenix, Detroit, Anacostia to back. One has photographer's card with title, lens stop, exposure, film, and camera being utilized as a Medalist with 3.5 Ektar lens. One with label for Commander Enterprises of Newbury Park, Calif. USS Burton in Bering Sea trapped in ice and titled "Ice Bound" signed to front: "Allan Stein 1950". Stamps for Valley View Lodge and Anacostia at back "Airlift Standbys" of large 4-prop cargo planes (possibly WWII era Boeings) on air field signed by Stein. Printed at back: "Roosevelt Roads" which was a naval station in Puerto Rico. One of Bikini Atoll bomb test signed by Stein and written at back of board: "Bikini - Atomic Bomb Test 'B'". Apprears to be photo from Operation Crossroads on July 25, 1946. This is an extra-wide photograph. Some discoloration to mounting board not affecting photo. "U. S. Hornet CV-10, March 19, 1945" is image of first hand account of Allan Stein when he was deployed on the US Hornet CV-10 with a Japanese Zero attacking vessel. This is a mounted photograph of his illustration. On same date of March 19, 1945, US Navy aircraft attacked Japanese warships at Kure. Kure-shi is a port and major shipbuilding city situated in Hiroshima Prefecture. Printed by Stein at back: "I was in first line of TBM's ready for a strike at Kure Koe, Japan when this Jap plane dove in on us. Truely, 'God was the pilot of our ship.'" Stamp for Anacostia Motion Picture Div. at back. During the Pacific War, Kure acted as the Imperial Japanese Navy's single-largest naval base and arsenal. Most of the city's industry and workforce were employed in the service of the naval installations, munitions factories and associated support functions. In the later stages of the conflict Kure c.…