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Lot #111
Dmitri Sintsov Autograph Letter Signed

Sintsov mediates a dispute between Russian mathematicians Markov and Nekrasov

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Estimate: $6000+
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Description

Sintsov mediates a dispute between Russian mathematicians Markov and Nekrasov

Russian mathematician (1867-1946) known for his work in the theory of conic sections and non-holonomic geometry, who served as chairman of the Kharkov Mathematical Society for forty years. ALS in Cyrillic, signed “D. Sintsov,” two pages on two adjoining sheets, 5.25 x 8.25, no date. Handwritten letter to the Russian mathematician Pavel Nekrasov, who served as Rector of the Imperial University of Moscow. In part (translated): "I have received your letter and am somewhat at a loss as to whether I should report it to the Mathematical Society or whether I should take it into consideration in my activities…your advice and instructions are intended only for me personally on how to proceed in the future with regard to to A. A. Markov. The society itself has always been guided by quite definite principles…Turning to what has already happened, I must first of all confirm that the extract from the protocol of the Mat. Society is given correctly by A. A. Markov. As for the form and nature of his personal correspondence, moreover, of a private nature, he alone is responsible for it, and this side of the matter, I believe, cannot be the subject of our judgment.

The Mathematical Society, having heard the letter of A. A. Markov, written quite correctly in form, had a judgment on the last stage of your long-term dispute with him, which, in our opinion, begins with your article 'Mathematical Statistics, Economic Law and Financial Turnovers' (Izvestiya Imperat. Russian Geographical Society, volume 45), which was followed by a note by A. A. Markov in Izvestiya Imper. Academy of Sciences in 1910, entitled 'Correction of Inaccuracies' and which, in turn, caused your article 'On the foundations of the law of large numbers, the method of least squares and statistics' (Mat. Collection vol. 27, p. 433-451).

In response to this article, an article by A. A. Markov was published in the Mathematical Collection, which he intended to title 'On the discoveries of P. A. Nekrasov,' but which appeared under the title 'Reply to P. A. Nekrasov.' On this, however, the controversy ended, and in vol. 28 'Mat. Collection' appears your extensive article 'The general basic method of generating functions as applied to calculus…to the laws of mass phenomena…answer to academician A. A. Markov' (p. 351-460), which, as stated in the note on p. 351…in quoting Markov and…this article is a polemic on the pages of Mat. Collection…Your reference to the fact that 'the defendant is given the last word' is hardly suitable in this case, because in any controversy, each of the parties is the defendant in turn, and so on…In addition, although I in no way want to defend A. A. Markov in relation to the thought and nature of his private speeches, but judging by your letter, it is he who is the defendant, because the repressions you mention fell to his lot." In fine condition, with scattered dampstaining and adhesive residue to the upper half of the letter.

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Fine Autograph and Artifacts Featuring John F. Kennedy
  • Dates: #647 - Ended November 09, 2022





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