Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
113
A letter from Einstein to a fellow physicist
EINSTEIN, ALBERT
Typed letter signed ("A. Einstein") on "The Institute for Advanced Study" stationery, addressed to the physicist Behram Kurşunoğlu. Princeton: October 29, 1953. 8 1/2 x 11 inches (28 x 21.5 cm); 5 lines plus salutation and felicitation. Usual folds, about fine. Framed; together with retained copies of two letters by Behram Kurşunoğlu to Einstein, October and November 1953.
A letter from Einstein to the physicist Behram N. Kursunoglu, then at the Laboratory of Nuclear Studies at Cornell, offering an appointment in Princeton in the coming weeks. Throwing some light on Einstein's daily schedule at the time, the morning appointment was to be at the Institute for Advanced Study and the afternoon at Einstein's house at 112 Mercer Street in Princeton. In 1958, he was appointed professor at the University of Miami and later founded the Center for Theoretical Studies and the Global Foundation Institute at that University.
Sold for $4,480
Estimated at $3,000 - $5,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
EINSTEIN, ALBERT
Typed letter signed ("A. Einstein") on "The Institute for Advanced Study" stationery, addressed to the physicist Behram Kurşunoğlu. Princeton: October 29, 1953. 8 1/2 x 11 inches (28 x 21.5 cm); 5 lines plus salutation and felicitation. Usual folds, about fine. Framed; together with retained copies of two letters by Behram Kurşunoğlu to Einstein, October and November 1953.
A letter from Einstein to the physicist Behram N. Kursunoglu, then at the Laboratory of Nuclear Studies at Cornell, offering an appointment in Princeton in the coming weeks. Throwing some light on Einstein's daily schedule at the time, the morning appointment was to be at the Institute for Advanced Study and the afternoon at Einstein's house at 112 Mercer Street in Princeton. In 1958, he was appointed professor at the University of Miami and later founded the Center for Theoretical Studies and the Global Foundation Institute at that University.
Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, Apr 16, 2026
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Successful Auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 Surpasses Expectations
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Thomas Jefferson Letter Commenting on Toussaint Louverture Achieves $32,000
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
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We Invite You to Contact Us for Complimentary Auction Estimates of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY – Doyle's auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 saw international competition drive strong results throughout the sale and a total that surpassed expectations.
Thomas Jefferson Letter on Toussaint Louverture
Highlighting the sale was a fascinating 1802 letter from Thomas Jefferson as president to Maryland Governor John Francis Mercer that achieved a strong $32,000. The remarkable letter captures a rare, candid moment in which Jefferson assesses, with striking clarity, the arrest of Toussaint Louverture, a leader of the Haitian Revolution, by French General Charles LeClerc, Napoleon’s brother-in-law. Jefferson perceptively warned that LeClerc’s actions would erode trust and likely spark further racial conflict—an insight that proved remarkably accurate. Beyond its sharp political foresight, the letter reflects the broader anxiety the Haitian Revolution provoked in the United States, which contributed to decades of diplomatic isolation of Haiti.
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
