RUSSIAN SPACE GEN. ANDREI GRIGORYEVICH KARAS AUTOGRAPH AND RELIC GROUPING ANDREI GRIGORYEVICH KARAS (1818-1979) Soviet Air Force general who distinguished himself in World War II as commander of an artillery corps later served as the first Commander of the Russian Space Troops from 1964-1979. The ""Medal of General Karas"" is issued by the Russian Space Troops in his honor. A fine collection of important items presented to Karas and obtained from his estate includes: hardcover book ""Conquering in Space"" in Russian printed in Moscow in 1972 inscribed on the reverse of the front flyleaf: ""To General Lieutenant Comrade Karas Andre Grigoryevich with respect from pilots-cosmonauts of the USSR 1973"" and signed underneath by 13 cosmonauts including VALENTINA TERESHKOVA ANDRIAN NIKOLAYEV PAVEL POPOVICH ALEXEI LEONEV GEORGI BEREGEVOI VALERY BYKOVSKY ANATOLY FILIPCHENKO VIKTOR GORBATKO GEORGI SHONIN and VLADIMIR STATALOV; a 19"" tall attractive hand-painted porcelain vase illustrating the history of Karas' service from artillery officer to general of the Soviet Air Forces and commander of the Space Troops. It bears a portrait of Karas painted images of satellites rockets missile trucks an artillery cannon and the Apollo-Soyuz mission along with a presentation that reads (translated): ""To respected Andrey Grigoryevich on the day of his jubilee from the personnel"". This vase most likely originates from the staff of the Baikonur Cosmodrome; two presentation medals honoring Karas' birthday one presented by the Scientific Research Institute in 1978; hand-made and painted papier mache box made in the well-known artistic village of Palekh 8 1/2"" x 5"" x 3 1/2"" with a color image of a horse-drawn sleigh on top of the lid (chipped at one corner) inscribed on the inside of the lid (translated): ""To General Lieutenant Karas Andrey Grigoryevich on the day of his 50th birthday with respect from the family of Gorbunovs September 27 1968"" and two other hardcover books one signed and inscribed by cosmonaut PAVEL POPOVICH in 1963 the other signed and inscribed by the author Rebrov.In overall fine condition. A superb collection of relics from the man considered the ""founder of Soviet space troops"".