‘Anode rays are indeed very interesting’ - photo 1

‘Anode rays are indeed very interesting’

Lot 5
16.07.2020 06:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 13 750
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 369994
Lot 5 | ‘Anode rays are indeed very interesting’
Estimate value
£ 5 000 – 8 000
Wilhelm Röntgen (1845-1923).

Six autograph letters and nine autograph notes or cards signed (‘W.C. Röntgen’) to Wilhelm Wien, Munich, Weilheim and elsewhere, 22 May 1902 – 27 April 1915.

In German. 27 pages, various sizes (punch holes to letters). One envelope. Provenance: by descent from Wilhelm Wien.

‘Anode rays are indeed very interesting’. In the earliest letter, on 22 May 1902, Röntgen writes to thank Wien for sending an anode tube: ‘Anode rays are indeed very interesting, and a while ago I had asked [Eugen] Goldstein to send me a couple of tubes, which were prepared under his direction; I really wanted to be able to see guaranteed genuine anode rays, in order to be able to distinguish them with certainty from others, which is not so easy for me, being colour-blind’; he is looking forwarding to repeating Wien’s ‘fine experiment’ with it. Later in 1902, Röntgen advises Wien, who had replaced him as Professor of Physics at the University of Würzburg, on a potential career move to Leipzig, underlining the advantages of remaining where he is, and discussing the importance of ‘combinations’ between scientists: ‘There are so few people in Germany who are in a position to advance theoretical physics’. On 31 Dec 1902 he discusses his recommendations for Nobel Prizes [Röntgen was awarded the first Nobel Prize for Physics in 1901, which brought with it the privilege of being able to recommend candidates in subsequent years]: ‘In the first year I recommended – without success – W. Thomson, then in the second year with greater success Lorentz (but alone)’. Subsequent letters discuss proceedings at the Bayerische Akademie and after Wien’s assumption of the role of editor of the Annalen der Physik, recommends papers for the publication, including by former assistant, the Russian physicist Abram Ioffe (1880-1960). The letters refer frequently to other fellow scientists including Boltzmann, Lorentz, Röntgen’s former student Ludwig Zehnder (inventor of the interferometer), with whom relations are difficult, Theodor Boveri, Felix Auerbach and Arnold Sommerfeld. The last letter thanks Wien for his contribution to Röntgen’s 70th birthday celebrations.

Wilhelm Wien was twice Röntgen’s successor in academic posts, first at Würzburg in 1900, and then in Munich in 1919.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
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24.06.2020 – 16.07.2020
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