SCIENCE

ALAN BEAN, THE 4^TH MAN TO WALK ON THE MOON INSCRIBES AN ICONIC APOLLO 12 IMAGE OF THE LUNAR LANDER MODULE ASCENDING THE MOON’S SURFACE  — 

Choice original 1^st generation NASA color photograph of the lunar module leaving the moon’s surface. Oblong quarto. No place. [Texas?] No date [circa 1970].   Signed, “Alan Bean” on the photographic surface, in lower right corner.  The photograph is mounted to a larger piece of photographer’s backing and is wonderfully further inscribed on the wide lower margin:  “To Rooster- Flying to the Moon is like throwing a long forward pass – You have to lead it just the right amount- It worked for us.”

“THE KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT… HAS BEEN MADE SUBJECT OF SO MUCH EXCITEMENT SO AS TO SHUT OUT OF PUBLIC VIEW ALL OTHER QUESTIONS… AND HAS CONTRIVED TO TINGE ALL LEGISLATION WITH THE BLACK DEFILEMENT….”

MORSE, SAMUEL F.B.  (1791-1872).  American artist and inventor of the electric telegraph and Morse code.  Superb Autograph Letter Signed, “Samuel F.B. Morse”.  Two full pages, quarto.  Poughkeepsie, New York, November 1, 1854. 

SIR HUMPHRY DAVY  —  NOTES THE DANGERS OF MERCURY POISONING AND HIS ’VAIN’ ATTEMPT AT FLY-FISHING

DAVY, SIR HUMPHRY.  (1778-1829).  British chemist, best known for his experiments in electrochemistry and for his invention of the miner’s safety lamp.  Good Autograph Letter Signed, “H. Davy”.  Four pages, octavo.  “Monday”.  Fine condition.  To “My dear Lord [Holland]”. 

A MOST INTERESTING COLLECTION OF CONGRATULATORY LETTERS UPON A TESTIMONIAL DINNER FOR AMBROSE SWASEY, A LEADING SCIENTIST AND INVENTOR THAT INCLUDES LETTERS FROM ORVILLE WRIGHT AND THOMAS EDISON AND MANY MORE OF THE LEADING SCIENTIFIC / INDUSTRIAL MINDS OF THE EARLY 20^TH CENTURY

ORVILLE WRIGHT —  Typed Letter Singed, “Orville Wright,” on his name-imprinted letter head. One page, quarto.  May 12, 1929.

THOMAS EDISON —  Typed Letter Signed, “Thos. A Edison,” on his name-imprinted “From the Laboratory of” stationery. One page, octavo. May 6, 1926.

HUDSON MAXIM:  “A MOMENT WHEN THE WORLD IS TEETERING ON THE RIM AND VERGE OF … HELL.”

MAXIM, HUDSON (1853-1927) U.S. inventor and chemist who invented a range of explosives, including a high power smokeless gunpowder. The book: Capitalism vs. Bolshevism by George L. Walker Inscribed on front free endpaper: “To my friend Dr. W.R. Whitney with great regards and all best wishes for Christmas 1919 – a moment when the world is teetering on the rim and verge of … hell…”

OPPENHEIMER TO LILIENTHAL  —   HIS BOOK: THE FLYING TRAPESE: THREE CRISES FOR THE PHYSICIST – INTIMATELY INSCRIBED:  “WITH AN OLD, CONSTANT AND GRATEFUL LOVE,  ROBERT”.   

OPPENHEIMER, ROBERT J.  (1904 –1967)  American theoretical physicist; director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during World War II; credited as the “father of the atomic bomb” for his role in the Manhattan Project, the research and development project that was responsible for the first nuclear weapons.   His book:  The Flying Trapeze: Three Crises for the Physicist. 1964, Oxford University Press, London. Red cloth covered boards.  Octavo, 65 pages. Very fine condition.  Inscribed on half title page: “with an old, constant and grateful love,  Robert”.  

THE NOTED ASTRONOMER, HERSCHEL, REVEALS THAT: “I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE IN THE USE OF MICROSCOPES”

HERSCHEL, SIR JOHN FREDERICK WILLIAM. (1792-1871). British mathematician, astronomer, and inventor; known for his discoveries related to the moons of Saturn and Uranus and for his pioneering work in early photographic processes, including coining the word ‘photography’ itself;   President of the Royal Astronomical Society.  Scarce Autograph Letter Signed “J. F. W. Herschel”. One page, octavo. No place, no date.