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an old letter with a stamp on it sitting on top of a piece of paperan old envelope with a stamp on it sitting on top of a piece of paper
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788 - MAX BORN (1882–1970)
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Estimate €800 - €1,200
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Description
MAX BORN (1882–1970) Autograph letter signed ‘M. Born’ to Kenneth Heuer in New York, editor of Born’s memoirs, published in English by Charles Scribner’s Sons in 1968. Bad Harzburg, 24 July 1967. Folio, 1 page. In English. ‘Airmail light letter’ on bluish paper, with address and sender’s details on the reverse. ‘...your letter has been forwarded to me (we shall be here, 3388 Bad Harzburg, Hotel Harzburger Hof, until 15 August). I thank you most sincerely. I had already suggested to the Nymphenburger Verlagsanstalt that the American edition should have a different title. Your suggestions do not quite suit my taste. I do not like ‘Faith’ or ‘Creed’ in the context of science. I believe that the essence of my thinking rests on a more solid foundation. My wife suggests the title: ‘A Scientist’s Recollections and Reflections’, which seems perfectly acceptable to me. One could also say: ‘My life and my views’, or something like ‘A physicist’s life and views’. Perhaps you will find a better formulation along these lines. Keep me informed. I hope you’ll be able to organise the proofreading without me having to play a major part in it; I’m too old and too ill for that sort of work. But if possible, I’d like to see the proofs (to be sent to Bad Pyrmont) [...]’. The English memoirs were published in 1968 under the title ‘My Life and My Views’; the German edition did not appear until 1975. Max Born, a German-British physicist and brilliant theorist, is best known for his major contribution to quantum physics, notably the probabilistic interpretation of the wave function, for which he shared the 1954 Nobel Prize in Physics with Walther Bothe. At the buyer’s request, we will be happy to provide a general report on the condition of the lot described above. However, as we are not professional conservators or restorers, we strongly advise potential buyers to carry out their own inspection or to consult a specialist of their choice to obtain a full assessment of the lot’s condition. Descriptions of items provided in the catalogue or by correspondence are for information purposes only and should not be regarded as a definitive assessment. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD ‘AS IS’, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE PUBLISHED IN THE CATALOGUE.
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About the sale RARE BOOKS & MANUSCRIPTS: Antique books § Autographs, rare editions, photographs § Works on paper
Auction location
Auction time 10/29/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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