Orville Wright’s Personal Bank Account Passbook – City National Bank, Dayton, Ohio, 1918–1934 – Wright Estate Provenance

An exceptional personal artifact belonging to aviation pioneer Orville Wright (1871–1948): his original account passbook from The City National Bank of Dayton, Ohio. The black cloth-covered bankbook bears the handwritten name “Orville Wright” in its cover window and again on the interior account-title page. Its extensively completed ledger pages record account activity beginning in December 1918 and continuing into 1934, providing an unusually intimate financial record from one of the central figures in the history of flight. The book documents approximately sixteen years of Wright’s life in Dayton, encompassing the post–World War I period, the prosperous 1920s, and the Great Depression. Unlike a conventional autograph or later commemorative item, this was a functional personal object retained and used over many years. Provenance: From the Wright estate; subsequently sold through the Miller sale. F Condition: Original and unrestored, with expected handling wear, edge and spine wear, toning, surface soiling, creasing, and some internal hinge weakness. Ledger entries remain generally legible. Please examine all photographs.