TLS in German, signed “A. Einstein,” two pages, 8.5 x 11, personal letterhead, January 20, 1938. Einstein writes to a gentleman in Utica, New York. In full: “There’s so much warm intimacy in your letter, that I feel that I’m dealing with a human being who has much in common with me. Because of my mania for sailing, it’s unlikely I’ll get to visit you up there. But my daughter very much wants to because she’s a sculptor and your picture pleased her, and me, so much. I’ve read your ms. hastily and haven’t replied, because it shows, as is to be expected, that you are only partially informed about the great wealth of scientific facts that have been researched. For example, even though the Earth is a magnet turning in space it cannot be claimed at all that the Earth works in the same manner as a dynamo. Nobody at all knows where the rotation of the earth or its magnetic field comes from. In any case it can’t be explained by the warming of the earth affected by the sun. On the other hand, it is as good as certain that the Northern Lights, as well as cosmic rays, are produced by electric particles which come from outer space at great speed and are strongly influenced by the Earth’s magnetic field. My not having answered sooner is due to an unending storm of letters and manuscripts beating down on me. Confronted with all that, I, an individual completely taken up with work, am as helpless as a child. If you could observe for a while, you’d quickly understand.” In fine condition, with paperclip impressions to tops of both pages, and some light wrinkling. Einstein’s signature is crisp and dark. For a substantial portion of his life, Einstein worked on a unified magnetic field theory. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
