science

AUDUBON PUBLISHES HIS ROYAL OCTAVO EDITION OF:  ‘THE BIRDS OF AMERICA’ WITH ITS 65 ADDITIONAL PLATES, AND ANNOUNCES TO HARRIS: “I HAVE MADE A GOOD NUMBER OF DRAWINGS THAT YOU HAVE NOT SEEN AND THAT I LONG TO SHOW YOU.”

AUDUBON, JOHN. (1785-1851). Ornithologist, naturalist, and artist. Scarce Autograph Letter Signed, “John J. Audubon.”  Very full page, quarto. February 4, 1842,  To Edward Harris.

MARCONI SENDS A RADIO-TELEGRAM FROM ON BOARD HIS YACHT “THE ELECTRA”

MARCONI, GUGLIELMO, MARCHESE.  (1874-1937).  Italian electrical engineer and Nobel laureate (1909);  known for his creation of a practical radio wave-based wireless telegraph system that led to Marconi being credited as the inventor of radio. Uncommon, and especially choice, Partly-Printed Document Signed, “Marconi” and also initialed “GM”. One full page, oblong folio. Written on board his yacht, the “ELECTRA,” October 12, 1935.

WILLIAM RAMSAY ~~  THE MAN WHO CHANGED THE PERIODIC TABLE WITH HIS DISCOVERY OF THE RARE NOBLE GASES

RAMSAY, WILLIAM (1852-1916). Scottish Chemist; Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry (1904); his discoveries added the noble gases, an entirely new family of chemical elements to the periodic table; predicted and discovered or was first to isolate every member of the group; created the world’s very first neon light [by accident, when he activated an electric switch to investigate one of the new gases!].  Uncommon Autograph Letter Signed “William Ramsay”.  1 ½ pages, small octavo. Boston, November 6, 1912.

THE ASTRONOMER ROYAL SIGHTS A COMET!  ~~  “ON SUNDAY NIGHT THE 8TH INSTANT, A COMET EQUAL IN LIGHT TO A STAR OF THE FOURTH MAGNITUDE, WITH A LARGE COMA, BUT NO NUCLEUS OR TAIL, WAS OBSERVED AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY AT GREENWICH”.

MASKELYNE, NEVIL.  (1732-1811).  English astronomer.  Significant Autograph Letter Signed, “N. Maskelyne”, accompanied by a holograph article for inclusion in the next day’s daily paper penned under Maskelyne’s statement. One page, quarto.  Greenwich, December 9, 1805. 

IN 1948, JUST A SHORT 6 MONTHS AFTER THE FOUNDING OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL, EINSTEIN WRITES TO A POST-HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR STAYING IN AN AMERICAN-JEWISH DISTRIBUTION CAMP IN CYPRUS, WHILE AWAITING HIS RESETTLEMENT IN THE NEW ISRAELI STATE, AND ACKNOWLEDGES:

“WE ALL OWE THE SMALL HEROIC GROUP OF OUR BROTHERS IN ISRAEL GRATITUDE AND ADMIRATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACHIEVED ON THEIR OWN THAT WHICH IS THEIRS BY RIGHT”

EINSTEIN, ALBERT. (1879-1955). Theoretical physicist; Developed the general theory of relativity.  Outstanding Typed Letter Signed “A. Einstein”. 1 1/4 pages, quarto. [No place], November 24, 1948. In German. To Siegfried Hessing, Polish writer and Jewish Internee in Famagusta, Cyprus. Addressed to “Camp 67 Bg c/o A.J.D.C.”, a post-Holocaust location where Jews were awaiting permission to enter the new nation of Israel.

DR. DAVID LIVINGSTONE BEFORE SETTING OUT TO AFRICA ~~ REMEMBERS FONDLY  “A REVEREND DR. ROBERT FERGUSON WHOSE FATHER WAS VERY KIND TO ME WHEN I WAS A STUDENT” AND OFFERS: ‘A BLESSING BE ON’ THE RELATIVE OF THAT MAN

LIVINGSTONE, DAVID.  (1813-73).  Scottish missionary and physician, who spent half his life exploring southern and central Africa.  Autograph Letter Signed, “David Livingstone”, 2 ½ pages, octavo.  ‘Clifton, September 25, 1864.

ALBERT EINSTEIN : PHILOSOPHER-SCIENTIST    ~~   COPY # 7  OF THE LIMITED SIGNED EDITION

EINSTEIN, ALBERT (1879-1955) Theoretical physicist. The book: Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist, boldly Signed on the limitation page “Albert Einstein 49.” Copy 7 of 760. [The first 10 copies were reserved for special presentations.] The Library of Living Philosophers, Evanston Illinois. Small quarto, top edge gilt, 779 pages,  1949. Additionally inscribed and signed on half title page by Paul Arthur Schilpp [the editor]: “To Dr. Barnaby C. Keeny, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, with the sincere gratitude and appreciation of Paul A. Schilpp. Summer 1969”.