SAMUEL F.B. MORSE He signs a glowing (1854) autograph letter, enthusiastically recommending his former assistant Otis Wood to any prospective employer. Framed in a Gallery of History display to 36x22 ALS: "Sam. F.B. Morse," 1½ pages, 7½x9¾. Po'keepsie, 1854 February 3. To Otis E. Wood, Esq., Utica. In full: "Most happy shall I be, if by a simple letter of mine, I can render you or your worthy brothers any service. Your brother Orrin S. Wood was my first Telegraph pupil, after the first (the experimental) line was established between Washington & Baltimore. He will undoubtedly recollect my predictions at that time, for him, that having taken the enterprize at its very commencement, and made himself thus early master of all that pertained to it, he would have an experience, possessed by no other, which would enable him to command any position he might choose, not only one of usefulness but I believed also of fortune. I am gratified in believing that he has attained a position, at least of well earned competence if not of fortune, which he richly deserves for his high and honorable personal character, as well as his eminent Skill & perseverance. read more...

SAMUEL F.B. MORSE He signs an autograph letter (1854) to Samuel Colgate requesting proxy votes from him, apparently to forestall a hostile takeover. ALS: "Saml. F.B. Morse", 1 page, 7¾x9¾. Po[ugh]'keepsie, New York, 1854 June 21. To businessman and philanthropist Samuel Colgate. In full: "Will you and your brother give me your proxies in blank as below for the next meeting of the Stockholders of the New York Albany and Buffalo Teleg Co. We wish to be prepared against an intrigue of the pirates. I will explain more fully when I see you." Beneath his letter, Morse has written the sample form he mentions. In full: "We hereby constitute [blank] to be our proxy to vote our Stock at the next annual meeting of the N. York, Albany & Buffalo Telegraph Company. New York June [blank] 1854". Note at bottom, probably by Colgate: "Ans 24 June/54...." In 1844, SAMUEL F.B. MORSE (1791-1872) had successfully sent the first telegraph message, "What hath God wrought!", from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore. In this letter, the "pirates" Morse mentions are probably Hiram Sibley and Judge Samuel L. read more...

THOMAS A. EDISON The famous inventor penned a section of answers on this questionnaire! Printed Questionnaire filled out by an assistant who has signed: "Thomas A. Edison" at the conclusion, but with 11 words in Edison's hand, 1p, 7¾x10½. J.K. Macomber, Professor of Physics at the Physical Laboratory Agricultural College in Ames, Iowa, sent Edison and other authorities in the field, a printed questionnaire, dated September 27, 1879. Macomber message, in part: "The people of the Western States have been imposed upon by lightning-rod peddlers more, perhaps, than by any other class of swindlers. Among other rods being sold in Iowa is one known as the 'Chambers' rod, widely has been patented by the 'Chambers' National Lightning Protection Company,' of Cincinnati, Ohio. Briefly, this system consists on an Iron rod running along the ridge of the building with points at each end projecting upward…Many public buildings in thus State have been furnished with these rods…I beg leave to submit the following interrogations." Macomber lists seven questions for Edison to answer. read more...

ALBERT EINSTEIN As Germany descends upon the world, Einstein takes action. TLS: "A. Einstein", 1p, 8½x11. Princeton, N.J., 1939 October 27. To Professor Rudolf Ehrmann, Jackson Heights, L.I. In German with English translation. In full: "A talk with Bernard Flexner (570 Lexington Ave.), a brother of our [friend] Flexner, is more advisable because he himself is a member of the Emergency Committee and as such knows all practitioners. The best thing would be if you visit him with someone from the University, so that you can find out and the university will also know how to fabricate the pill ["pill" is a euphemism for action], so that the Emergency Committee can swallow it. It would be best if I wrote to Bernard Flexner for this purpose. I ask you for immediate notification if and when the step has been taken. Such a visit with Dr. Duggan would be equally appropriate. I do not know who the activist is. I heartily greet you." ANALYSIS: The letter presented in this lot was written on October 27, 1939, a critical time marked by the first of the famous correspondences between Albert Einstein and President Roosevelt. Einstein's letter to Roosevelt was written on August 2, 1939. read more...

ALBERT EINSTEIN He begins an "intellectual refuge" at the time of his and fellow professors' exodus from Hitler's Germany. TLS: "A. Einstein", 1p, 8¼x10¾. Loe Coq-sur-mer, Belgium, 1933 May 2. To Countess Hetta Treuberg, Hotel International, Geneva. In German, translated. In full: "I share fully the views expressed in your letter: Destruction of the entire upper layer by the now fully mobilized masses. (However, how does it stand with the Reichswehr)" The Reichswehr was the German Army. Typed postscript: "Enclosed is a letter from Mr. Speyer." On January 30, 1933, three months before Einstein wrote this letter from Belgium, Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. On February 28th, Hitler was granted emergency powers and on March 24th, he was given dictatorial powers by the German Parliament. On April 2, Einstein's bank account of 30,000 marks was confiscated. Between April 4 and May 15, 1933 no less than 164 German professors resigned or were dismissed from their jobs in Germany. On April 12th, Einstein's two stepdaughters left Germany for France. By the time of this letter, Einstein was in Belgium, knowing he would not return to Germany. read more...

ALBERT EINSTEIN To a Holocaust survivor, still living in hard times, who asked Einstein if she may auction off letters he wrote to her father. Typed Letter signed: "A. Einstein", 1½p, 8¼x11. Princeton, N.J., 1949 April 19. To Dr. Dora Stern, New York. In German, translated. In full: "I thank you heartily for your amicable congratulations and am very glad to have in this way again heard something from you directly after so long a time. You can imagine how sorry I am that you, your sister and her husband are all living in such difficult circumstances. If you see any way in which I can be of help to you or your sister and her husband in seeking employment, I would esteem it a particular happiness to be able to try. I can write to anyone, but have too little experience to know what step would have the best prospect of success. Of course, I do not object to your auctioning the few letters you have in your possession together with your father's collection. I do not even need to see the letters, as they are surely quite harmless and unfortunately also quite uninteresting. Your sister Toni already turned to me some time ago because she believes that my help will make it easier to effect the publication of her memoirs. read more...

LOUIS CHEVROLET Extremely rare letter written as President of the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation to an Assistant Engineer at Pitcairn Field in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Typed Letter signed: "Louis Chevrolet" as President of the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation, 1¼p, 8½x11, separate sheets. Baltimore, Md., 1930 November 18. On company letterhead to Walter C. Clayton, Asst. Engr., Pitcairn Aircraft, Pitcairn Field, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. In part: "In regard to the first paragraph of your letter, we do not know exactly how much of a head the gasoline tank should have over the carburetor float, not having tried anything of the kind, but should judge that a minimum of six to eight inches would work satisfactorily on climbing. In level flight you probably will have plenty of gas head, and we are sending you a new blue print showing you where the float level is...As stated before, we have never contemplated using the Haywood Starter, but if it fits your scheme we will send a cylinder head to the Sky Specialties Company of Detroit and have them advise us the best place to put a boss in our cylinder head for the installation of their starter. read more...

SAMUEL F.B. MORSE One year before his first successful telegraph message, Morse signs an autograph letter to Treasury Secretary John Spencer, explaining that the cost of preparing the wire will be $10 more than his previous estimate. He'll still come in under budget! ALS: "Saml F.B. Morse", 1 page, 8x10. New York, 1843 May 1. To Secretary of the Treasury John C. Spencer. In full: "In my letter of the 29th ulto accompanying the contracts for the Telegraphic Wire, and the expenses of covering, I left a blank in the former which I observed was to be filled with a sum not exceeding 24 cents pr.lb. I have this moment heard from Paterson, and am enabled to fill the said blank with 22 cents. This varies the expense of Preparation of the Wire as given in my letter to the Department of 26th ulto from $1900 to $1910 - making the contracts for this part of the work of $690 less than the original estimates, instead of $700 - as therein stated." Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1872), a portrait painter and a founder and first President of the National Academy of Design (1826-1845, 1861), interested himself in the possibilities of a magnetic telegraph in 1832. He developed the Morse Code for use in the telegraph instrument. read more...

SIGMUND FREUD Sigmund Freud signed this typed letter to his nephew, publicist Edward L. Bernays, in 1924 on his personalized stationery. In it, Freud discusses family finances and thanks Bernays for a case of coffee. Typed letter signed "Sigm". Pencil marks on page 2 in unknown hand. 2 pages, 5¾x8¾, 1 sheet, front and verso, on Freud's personalized stationery. May 11, 1924. In German, translated. In part: "Also in May, I lent you 150 dollars, so that your mother's assets with me are now 460 dollars. Thus, three further months are paid for. I would suggest that you send a larger amount of money here after these three months... The case of Washington Coffee arrived undamaged on 30 IV. I very much approve of you deducting the price for that upcoming royalties. I didn't expect the coffee to be so expensive, however, I received your book from Boni & Liveright. As a real American, I was very interested in it...". We believe that this letter was written to Edward Bernays, Freud's nephew, as it mentions sending money to an "Onkel [Uncle] Alexander". EDWARD L. BERNAYS ()1891-1995, born in read more...