"I HAVE LONG EARNESTLY WISHED FOR A NEW EDITION OF THE ORIGIN IN THE UNITED STATES"

DARWIN, Charles. Autograph letter signed. WITH: On the Origin of Species. Kent, United Kingdom and New York, 1869-70.

Very rare and desirable signed autograph letter from Charles Darwin to American publisher D. Appleton's London agent, Charles Layton, agreeing to a second American edition of the Origin of Species, with a slightly raised price, but requiring that Appleton also commit to an American edition of The Descent of Man. Accompanied by the second American edition of Origin of Species in original cloth. $125,000.

“ONE OF THE FINEST ORNITHOLOGICAL WORKS EVER PRINTED”

AUDUBON, John James. Birds of America. New York, 1856-57. Seven volumes.

Second octavo edition, the first edition with fully colored backgrounds, containing 500 superb hand-colored plates. $58,500.

"FOUR EDITIONS OF THE ORIGIN HAVE APPEARED… I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE SUBJECT"

DARWIN, Charles. Autograph letter signed. Down, Beckenham, Kent, Dec 17, [1866].

Fine unpublished 1866 autograph letter written by Charles Darwin, answering the questions of an anonymous correspondent concerning editions of his landmark work, On the Origin of Species, boldly signed by him with his full name "Charles Darwin" (he often used "C." or "Ch." instead of his full given name). Beautifully framed with an early photgraphic card. $39,500.

TYPED LETTER SIGNED BY ALBERT EINSTEIN WITH IMPORTANT SCIENTIFIC CONTENT, MAKING HISTORIC CONNECTIONS BETWEEN KEPLER'S WORK AND HIS OWN

EINSTEIN, Albert. Typed letter signed. Princeton, November 3, 1942.

An exceptional typed letter signed by Einstein on precursors like Johannes Kepler's work to his Special and General Theories of Relativity, $38,000.

"PROF. EPSTEIN IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT LIVING THEORETICAL PHYSICISTS OF THE GERMAN-SPEAKING WORLD"

EINSTEIN, Albert. Autograph letter signed. No place, August 14, 1921.

Rare heartfelt autograph letter of recommendation written and signed by Einstein in German, enthusiastically recommending his friend and colleague, physicist Prof. Dr. Paul Epstein, for an academic position. $35,000.

FIRST EDITION IN ORIGINAL WRAPPERS OF FREUD'S INTRODUCTORY LECTURES ON PSYCHOANALYSIS, WONDERFULLY INSCRIBED BY FREUD TO HIS COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND RUDOLF REITLER, THE FIRST PRACTITIONER OF PSYCHOANALYSIS AFTER FREUD

FREUD, Sigm[und], Prof. Dr. Vorlesungen zur Einfuhrung in die Psychoanalyse. Leipzig und Wien, 1916-17. Three volumes.

First edition in original wrappers of all three volumes of one of Freud's most popular works, the Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis, inscribed in Volume II on the front wrapper to Rudolf Reitler, a friend and colleague of Freud who was instrumental in the development of psychoanalysis as a discipline and the first person after Freud himself to perform analysis on patients: "Herr Dr. R. Reitler mit herzlichen Gruss. Verf[asser]" [Dr. R. Reitler with warm regards. The Author.]. $25,000.

"THIS LETTER GOES TO YOU ON THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA… THE RELEASE OF THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY FORCE SINCE THE DISCOVERY OF FIRE"

EINSTEIN, Albert. Typed Letter signed. Princeton, August 6th, 1947. Two leaves, typed on rectos, for two pages .

Fantastic typed letter signed by Einstein, soliciting funds for a program of public education "so that the American people will understand all that is at stake" when it comes to atomic energy and nuclear weapons. "We believe that with such understanding, the American people will choose from among many paths to reach a peaceful solution… and not toward war." $22,500.

SIGNED BY RICHARD FEYNMAN

FEYNMAN, Richard P. Recommendations. No place, circa 1986.

Mimeograph of the galleys of the Recommendations of the Rogers Commission tasked with investigating the Challenger disaster, signed on the front page by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman with his additional note: "PRIVATE (CLOSE HOLD)." $22,500.

“NO OTHER ORNITHOLOGIST HAS EVER EXCEEDED THE MAGNITUDE AND SPLENDOR OF HIS FOLIO PUBLICATIONS”

GOULD, John. Monograph of the Pittidae [Tropical Birds]. London, 1880. Two parts in one, Part I with plates and text, Part II text only, all published.

First edition of this lovely Gould monograph, with ten beautiful hand-colored plates, in original printed boards as issued. $22,000.

"IT DOES NOT SEEM POSSIBLE TO ME THAT ANYTHING FUNDAMENTAL ABOUT THE LAWS OF NATURE CAN BE INFERRED FROM THE PLANETARY CONSTELLATION"

EINSTEIN, Albert. Typed letter signed. Princeton, New Jersey, January 13, 1942.

Wonderful typed letter signed by Einstein discussing planetary motion and the "fundamental laws of nature." $19,000.

“A POWERFUL INFLUENCE ON ALL SUBSEQUENT THOUGHT ON MAN’S PLACE IN NATURE”

TYSON, Edward M.D. Orang-Outang: or the Anatomy of a Pygmie. London, 1699.

First edition of Tyson's "epoch-making" anatomical study that laid a foundation for the theory of evolution, "the first work to demonstrate scientifically the structural relationships between man and anthropoid ape" (Norman), heralded as a "forerunner of Blumenbach, Buffon, Huxley and Darwin" (PMM), with eight striking copper-engraved folding plates. A handsome wide-margined volume in contemporary paneled calf boards. $18,500.

"UNRIVALED FOR… ELEGANCE OF STYLE AND ACCURACY OF DESCRIPTION"

BELL, Charles. Anatomy of the Brain. BOUND WITH: Series of Engravings… Nerves. London, 1802, 1803.

First editions of two seminal early works by Scottish surgeon Bell—Anatomy of the Brain (1802) and Series of Engravings (1803), with Anatomy wonderfully illustrated with 12 stipple-engraved anatomical plates (11 hand-colored)—-"engraved by Thomas Medland after Bell's own drawings… probably Bell's most beautiful work on neuroanatomy and one of the most beautifully illustrated in the entire literature"—and nine copper-engraved plates (three folding) in Series of Engravings, all after richly detailed and expressive original drawings by Bell, a splendid volume in contemporary calf and marbled boards. $17,500.

THE GREAT PACIFIC RAILROAD SURVEYS,“A MONUMENTAL COLLECTION OF SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION” INCLUDING “THE FIRST ACCURATE DETAILED MAP OF THE WHOLE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI WEST… ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MAPS OF AMERICAN HISTORY”

(PACIFIC RAILROAD SURVEY) Reports of Explorations and Surveys. Washington, 1855-60. Twelve volumes.

First quarto edition, mixed issue, greatly expanded. The most extensive government exploration of the American continent, with almost six hundred maps (many folding) and splendid plates (colored, tinted and black and white) depicting views, ruins, Native Americans, zoological and botanical specimens, etc. $16,000.

SIGNED BY THOMAS EDISON

(EDISON, Thomas Alva) RAMSAYE, Terry. Million and One Nights. New York, 1926. Two volumes.

Signed limited first edition of one of the most important histories of cinema, number 8 of only 327 sets signed by Ramsaye and Thomas Edison, an exceptional association copy containing a laid-in typed letter by award-winning film scholar and author Dr. Donald Crafton, this rare copy a gift to him from "film aficionado and collector… Spencer Berger." With over 100 illustrations, a splendid copy in publisher’s leather and Japanese patterned paper boards. $10,500.

ENGAGING 1946 TYPED LETTER SIGNED BY ALBERT EINSTEIN, WARMLY THANKING HIS FRIEND, DR. ISADORE HELD, FOR BIRTHDAY WISHES AND FOR SENDING AN "ENLIGHTENING" BOOK

EINSTEIN, Albert. Typed letter signed. Princeton, April 3, 1946.

Original typed letter signed by Albert Einstein, thanking his friend, Dr. Isadore Held, for his birthday wishes as well as for sending a new book that Einstein found both "extraordinarily enlightening" and humorous. Text in German. $9500.

BOLDLY PRESENTED AND SIGNED BY EDISON

EDISON, Thomas Alva. Photograph signed. No place, circa 1920.

Very scarce vintage photographic portrait of Edison seated in a library, inscribed and signed by him with a bold flourish on the mount: "To Mrs. Blauvelt, from a believer in woman suffrage, Thos A Edison." $9200.

RARE GELATIN SILVER PRINT OF EINSTEIN, SIGNED BY LOTTE JACOBI

(EINSTEIN, Albert) JACOBI, Lotte. Photograph signed. Einstein. Deering, New Hampshire, circa 1975.

Gelatin silver print of Einstein, signed in pencil by Lotte Jacobi in the lower right corner, a rare impression of her famous 1938 image of Einstein seated in a rumpled leather jacket. $7500.

CAVENDISH’S EXPERIMENTS ON AIR, IMPORTANT 1784 FIRST APPEARANCE

CAVENDISH, Henry. Experiments on Air. London, 1784-85.

First edition of Cavendish's experimental proof that water is composed of oxygen and hydrogen and therefore not a separate element unto itself, with a folding plate. As issued in Philosophical Transactions for the year 1784. $7500.

FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST AMERICAN HERBAL

STEARNS, Samuel. American Herbal. Walpole, New Hampshire, 1801.

First edition of the first American herbal, in original boards. $7200.

"PROVIDED A NEW PERSPECTIVE FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LOOK ON ALL MANIFESTATIONS OF FORCE IN THE PHENOMENAL WORLD"

FARADAY, Michael. Experimental Researches in Electricity… Twenty-third through Thirtieth Series. London, 1850-57. Nine papers bound in two volumes.

First appearances of nine papers from Faraday's important Experimental Researches in Electricity bound in two volumes, the 23rd through the 30th Series—laying the foundations for the origins of Field Theory—along with his 1857 Bakerian lecture, extracted from the journal Philosophical Transactions where they originally appeared, with all related engraved plates and illustrations. $6800.

“VERY FIRST GENERAL TREATISE ON PHOTOGRAPHY”

HUNT, Robert. A Popular Treatise on the Art of Photography, including Daguerreotype. Glasgow, 1841. First edition of Hunt’s landmark photographic work, with 29 in-text illustrations and frontispiece featuring one of the earliest representations of a negative print. $6500.

“ONE OF THE MOST TERRIBLE JOURNEYS ON RECORD”

FRANKLIN, John. Narrative of a Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea. London, 1823.

First edition of Franklin's first overland Arctic expedition, illustrated with 30 engraved plates—11 hand-colored—along with four large folding maps. "A classic book of Arctic hardship" (Stam & Stam 3.1). $6000.

"THE FIRST SPECIALIST IN ANESTHESIOLOGY"

SNOW, John. On Chloroform and Other Anaesthetics. London, 1858.

First edition of the work that "put the administration of chloroform and ether on a scientific basis" (Garrison-Morton). $5800.

“THE FINAL STEPS OF APOLLO”

(CERNAN, Gene). Map inscribed (Apollo XVII, last Apollo moon landing). Washington, 1974.

Second edition of this lunar topographic map, compiled from Apollo orbital film, boldly inscribed: “The valley of Taurus Littrow—Home of the final steps of Apollo. Dec. 11-14, 1972. Gene Cernan, CDR Apollo XVII.” $5800.

"THE BOOK IS HANDSOMELY PRINTED, AND THE PLATES ARE FINELY EXECUTED FROM DRAWINGS BY EHRET"

(BARBADOS) HUGHES, Griffith. The Natural History of Barbados. London, 1750.

First edition of this important work on the flora and fauna of Barbados, with folding map of the island by Thomas Jefferys and 30 folio engraved plates, 12 after renowned botanical artist G.D. Ehret, one of the greatest botanical painters of the 18th century. $5500.

"LOVE IS A PLAGUE, A TORTURE, A HELL… THE SPANISH INQUISITION IS NOT COMPARABLE TO IT"

[BURTON, Robert] Democritus Junior. The Anatomy of Melancholy. London, 1660.

Seventh edition of this early description of the state of depression, "destined to become the most frequently reprinted psychiatric text," with "several considerable additions by [Burton’s] own hand" and wonderful engraved allegorical title page. $5200.

INSCRIBED BY BILL WILSON

(ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS) [WILSON, Bill]. Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age. New York, 1957.

First edition of Bill Wilson’s early history of Alcoholics Anonymous, warmly inscribed by him: “Dear Harry: With all my gratitude for your example of all that’s AA! Ever Yours, Bill. NY Dec 31/63.” $5000.

“INSIGHT SUCH AS THIS FALLS TO ONE’S LOT BUT ONCE IN A LIFETIME”

FREUD, Sigmund. Interpretation of Dreams. New York, 1913. First edition in English of arguably the greatest book in the history of psychoanalysis. $4800.

“MORTON CONVINCED THE WORLD, THE CREDIT IS HIS” (OSLER)

MORTON, William Thomas Green. Statements Supported by Evidence… of the Anaesthetic Properties of Ether. Washington, 1853.

First edition, an exceedingly rare presentation copy of the 1853 Senate Committee Report documenting the long and bitter controversy over Dr. William Morton’s revolutionary discovery of surgical anesthesia, a groundbreaking event with “an immediate and profound effect on medical practice”—inscribed to the “Franklin Institute Library, Philadelphia, Pen. With Respects of W.T.G. Morton, M.D. Boston, Mass.”—scarce in contemporary marbled boards. $4600.

"THE COLOR OF THE PRISONER'S SKIN, AND THE FORM OF HIS FEATURES ARE NOT IMPRESSED UPON THE SPIRITUAL MIND… HE IS STILL YOUR BROTHER, AND MINE … HOLD HIM THEN TO BE A MAN"

(SEWARD, William) HALL, Benjamin F. Trial of William Freeman. Auburn, 1848.

First edition of the definitive report documenting the controversial 1846 trial of African American William Freeman—"a landmark in American history"—with extensive reportage, expert medical testimony and the famed defense of Freeman by William H. Seward, Lincoln’s future Secretary of State and "one of the most prominent antislavery politicians of the antebellum period", very scarce in contemporary three-quarter morocco. $4500.

“HIS VOLUMES ARE THE JOURNAL OF ADAM IN PARADISE”

WHITE, Gilbert. Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne. London, 1789.

First edition of this "solitary classic of natural history," with folding frontispiece panoramic view of Selborne and six engravings (one folding) by Peter Mazell and Daniel Lerpinire after drawings by Samuel Grimm. An uncut copy in orginal marbled boards. $4200.

RARE 16TH-CENTURY ILLUSTRATED FRENCH EDITIONS
OF EARLY WORKS ON PALMISTRY, ASTROLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY

INDAGINE, Johannes ab. Chiromance & Physionomie Par le Regard Des Membres de L'Homme. Lyon, 1666. Two volumes bound in one.

Rare early French editions of these core works on palm-reading, with over 80 in-text diagrams, charts, and engraved illustrations, handsomely bound in full modern calf-gilt. $4200.

"AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP IN UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF GLOBAL COSMOLOGICAL EXPANSION ON LOCAL PHYSICS"

EINSTEIN, Albert and STRAUS, Ernst G. The Influence of the Expansion of Space. Princeton, NJ, 1945.

First edition, rare offprint issue produced for the authors for distribution to colleagues, in which Einstein and Straus introduce what has come to be known as the "Swiss cheese" model of the universe. $4200.

LEIBNITZ REFUTES LOCKE: NEW ESSAYS ON HUMAN UNDERSTANDING, 1765 FIRST EDITION

LEIBNITZ, G.W. Oeuvres Philosophiques. Amsterdam et Leipzig, 1765.

First edition of the first collected edition of Leibnitz's philosophical works in French and Latin, including the first printing of one of Leibnitz's most important philosophical works, his "Nouveaux essais sur l'entendement humain" (New Essays on Human Understanding), in which he attacks and refutes Locke and his "Essay on Human Understanding" chapter by chapter. $4000.

BOLDLY PRESENTED AND INSCRIBED BY EDISON

EDISON, Thomas Alva. Photograph inscribed. No place, circa 1920.

Scarce photogravure portrait of Edison by acclaimed New York photographer Walter Scott Shinn, inscribed and signed by him with a bold flourish on the mount to a prominent hotelier who catered to early 20th century society figures: "To Mr & Mrs Albert R Keen. Thos A Edison." $3900.

FIRST PUBLICATION OF JOULE'S KEY WORK "ON THE MECHANICAL EQUIVALENT OF HEAT," 1850, BOUND TOGETHER WITH FOUR OTHER IMPORTANT PAPERS ON THERMAL EFFECTS AND MAGNETIC INDUCTION

JOULE, James Prescott. Five Scientific Papers. London, 1849-55.

First appearances of five important scientific papers by Joule—including his important 1850 paper "On the Mechanical Equivalent of Heat"—each extracted from the journal Philosophical Transactions where they originally appeared and bound together, complete with three engraved plates, one folding. $3800.

“ANIMALS FEED, MEN NOURISH THEMSELVES; ONLY MEN OF DISTINCTION KNOW HOW TO EAT”

BRILLAT-SAVARIN, Anthelme. The Physiology of Taste. Philadelphia, 1854.

First edition in English of “the most famous book in gastronomy.” $3500.

LARGE VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE
“E. GEST” STEAM LOCOMOTIVE

RAILROADS. Locomotive built for the Cincinnati, Wilmington & Louisville Railroad. Lancaster, Ohio, 1857.

Vintage documentary photograph of the “E. Gest” locomotive, built by E.P. Gould and named for Erasumus Gest, president of the Cincinnati, Wilmington & Zanesville Railroad. $3500.

BY THE CO-WINNERS OF THE 2010 J.J. SAKURAI PRIZE FOR THEORETICAL PHYSICS

(HIGGS BOSON) GURALNIK, G.S., HAGEN, C.R., and KIBBLE, T.W.B. Global Conservation Laws and Massless Particles. New York, 16 November 1964.

First edition of this early and important paper in the search for the Higgs boson—a crucial theoretical particle that at the time of this paper's publication had just been named. The recent discovery of the Higgs boson means that one of the authors will be a strong candidate to be one of the traditional three to win the Nobel—along with Higgs himself, of course, and Francois Englert—for laying the theoretical groundwork with this paper. $3200.

RARE FIRST EDITION OF THIS IMPORTANT WORK ON THE EARLY USE OF ANESTHESIA IN OBSTETRICS, INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR, DR. WALTER CHANNING, AND WITH A TEXT CORRECTION IN HIS HAND

CHANNING, Walter. Two Cases of Inhalation of Ether in Instrumental Labor. Boston, 1847.

First separate edition of this important work on the use of ether in obstetrics, inscribed by the author on the front wrapper: “Dr. Johnson, with Dr. Channing’s regards,” and with a single correction on page 11 where Channing has drawn a line through a section of text and written “omit.” $3200.

EXCEPTIONAL PRESENTATION ASSOCIATION COPY OF SODDY’S THE INTERPRETATION OF THE ATOM

SODDY, Frederick. The Interpretation of the Atom. London, 1932.

First and only edition, presentation copy, of Frederick Soddy's second book on physics and radioactivity, with two folding tables and dozens of half-tones, inscribed on a tipped-in slip: "J. Joly Esq. F.R.S., Somerset House, Temple Road, Dublin. Thanks for the use of illustrations. FS. October 1932." $3200.

INSCRIBED BY NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING CHEMIST FREDERICK SODDY

SODDY, Frederick. Isotopes. London, 1953.

First separate edition of Soddy's 1952 lecture to the Second Meeting of Nobel Prize Winners, inscribed on the front wrapper: "With the Author's Compliments-Frederick Soddy," and additionally labeled "Isotopes" in his hand. $3200.

"THE FIRST IMPORTANT ENGLISH HANDBOOK ON BIRTH CONTROL"

STOPES, Marie Carmichael. Contraception. London, 1923.

First edition of the first British textbook on the theory, history, and provision of birth control by birth control advocate and sexologist Marie Stopes, the author of Married Love, in very scarce original dust jacket. $3200.

"FOREIGN MATHETMATICIANS HAVE, OF LATE, BEEN ABLE TO PUSH THEIR RESEARCHES FARTHER… THAN SIR ISAAC NEWTON AND HIS FOLLOWERS HERE"

SIMPSON, Thomas. Miscellaneous Tracts. London, 1757.

First edition of this collection of Simpson's astronomical papers, including the first book appearance of Simpson's important paper on taking the average, prepared in order to improve the accuracy of astronomical observations, and referencing Newton in the Preface and several chapters, with three folding engraved plates. $3000.

"THE BEGINNING OF BACTERIOLOGY AS A MODERN SCIENCE"

PASTEUR, Louis. Memoire sur la fermentation appele lactique. Paris, 1857, 1850. Two volumes.

First editions of these two important papers by Pasteur, in the complete volumes of the Journals of the Académie des Sciences as they originally appeared. $2900.

INSCRIBED BY JOHN GLENN

CARPENTER, M. Scott, COOPER, L. Gordon, Jr., GLENN, John H., Jr., GRISSOM, Virgil I., SCHIRRA, Walter M., Jr., SHEPARD, Alan B., Jr., SLAYTON, Donald K. We Seven. New York, 1962.

First edition of this comprehensive and engaging first-hand account of the genesis of America's manned space program, inscribed "To J— John Glenn," richly illustrated with photographs, in original dust jacket. $2900.

"MEN GO MAD IN HERDS"

MACKAY, Charles. Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions. London, 1852. Two volumes.

Second edition of this important, entertaining and influential early study of crowd behavior, subsequently used to explore popular psychology and to chart the stock market, with numerous wood-engraved illustrations, in original gilt-stamped cloth. $2800.

"FATHER OF THE ATOMIC BOMB"

(OPPENHEIMER, J. Robert) . In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Washington, D.C. 1954. Two volumes.

First edition of the Atomic Energy Commission publication of the transcript of the Gray Board hearing on Oppenheimer's security clearing, along with the supporting "Texts and Principal Documents," containing select and still controversial 1954 documents and correspondence in the AEC decision to strip Oppenheimer’s security clearance—a "black mark" on America." $2800.

THE U.S. NAVAL EXPEDITION TO THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, WITH FINE COLOR LITHOGRAPHS AND A VERY LARGE PANORAMIC VIEW OF SANTA LUCIA, CHILE

GILLISS, J[ames] M[elville]. The U.S. Naval Astronomical Expedition to the Southern Hemisphere. Washington, 1855. Two volumes.

First edition of the official report of Gilliss' important expedition to South America—only the third American Naval Scientific expedition—illustrated with four folding maps, a very large hand-colored folding view of Santa Lucia, Chile, 41 full-page lithographs (four tinted and 19 printed in color), five plans, and 11 wood-engraved vignettes—two large quarto volumes in contemporary calf. $2800.

"AN EARLY ATTEMPT AT A HISTORY OF SCIENCE"

GLANVILL, Joseph. Plus Ultra: Or, the Progress and Advancement of Knowledge. London, 1668.

First edition of Glanvill's impassioned defense of the Royal Society against Aristotelians, led by Puritan minister Robert Crosse. Handsomely bound. $2800.