An archive of his relationship with Estella Katzenellenbogen

Lot 144
16.10.2025 10:00UTC +01:00
Classic
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Lieu de l'événementRoyaume-Uni, London
Commissionsee on Website%
ID 1472066
Lot 144 | An archive of his relationship with Estella Katzenellenbogen
Valeur estimée
$ 20 000 – 30 000
EINSTEIN, Albert (1879-1955); EINSTEIN, Margot (1899-1986). An archive of letters, notes, signed photographs a book, written and inscribed to Estella Katzenellenbogen, various places including Princeton, Saranac Lake, 1937-1951. In German.

[Includes:]

– EINSTEIN, Albert. Photograph signed ("A. Einstein 1942) and inscribed with a poem on verso, [Princeton,] 1942. 143 x 114mm: ("Was hinten drauf! Hat se gesagt / Ausoust hütteich er nicht gewaagt / Dene die Buhandlung presst nicht / um Wert rehartzung from irh Gesehlicht.").

– EINSTEIN, Albert. Photograph signed ("A. Einstein. 51.") inscribed to Estella [Katzenellenbogen], 210 x 170mm.

– EINSTEIN, Albert. Autograph note signed ("A.E.") to Estella [Katzenellenbogen, n.p., n.d. One page, bifolium card bearing a photograph of a sculpture, 160 x 120mm. He writes, "It almost seems to me that a pleasant sobriety is dawning in people here, but everything still seems to be up in the air."

– EINSTEIN, Margot. Autograph letter signed to Estella Katzenellenbogen, Princeton, 25 December 1937. 6 pages, 278 x 213mm. [With:] EINSTEIN, Albert. Autograph note signed ("A. Einsetin"), written at the conclusion of Margot's letter.

– EINSTEIN, Margot. Autograph letter signed to Estella Katzenellenbogen, Princeton, 7 February 1943. 2 pages, 203 x 126mm. [With:] EINSTEIN, Albert. Autograph note signed ("A.E.") at the top margin.

– EINSTEIN, Margot. Autograph letter signed to Estella Katzenellenbogen, Princeton 2 February 1942. 1 page, 276 x 195mm. . [With:] EINSTEIN, Albert. Autograph note signed ("A. Einstein.") in the left margin: " Dear Estella, The drawing is of enchanting delicacy and suits the donor. Hopefully you feel comfortable over there. Best greetings and wishes…"

– EINSTEIN, Margot. Autograph letter signed to Estella Katzenellenbogen, Saranac Lake, 24 August [1944]. 2 pages, 247 x 180mm. Includes an amusing story of Einstein taking some friends out on a sailing boat and hitting a rock and being obliged to call for help. [With:] EINSTEIN, Albert. Autograph note (unsigned).

– EINSTEIN, Margot. Autograph letter signed to Estella Katzenellenbogen, n.p., 16 December 1944. 2 pages, 275 x 210mm (vertical tear separates letter into two halves). [With:] EINSTEIN, Albert. Autograph note ("A. Einsetin") sending good wishes.

– FRANK, Philipp (1884-1966) Einstein His Life and Times. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1947. Octavo (237 x 155mm). (Mild foxing at upper margins to several pages, endpapers toned). Red cloth boards with gilt titling and "E=mc2" vignette (pastedowns toned). Pictorial dustjacket (foxed and split at spine folds). Signed and inscribed on the front free endpaper ("Estella zur Erbauung A. Einstein 1947")

– Nine candid photographs, mostly 85 x 60mm (one 40 x 30mm) including images of Einstein posing in a pair of furry slippers, in a rowboat, his home in Princeton, and two of his sister Maja.

Best known as a major collector of East Asian art as well as German and French Impressionism and Expressionism, Estrella Katzenellenbogen (1886-1991) began a liaison with Albert Einstein in 1926. The pair were often seen attending concerts together, and she was known to have visited Einstein at his summer housed in Caputh. Although baptized as a Protestant, her Jewish ancestry compelled her to flee Germany, first to Switzerland in 1936 and then to the United States in 1939. She settled in Los Angeles where she ran a branch of the Nierendorf Gallery for a brief time in mid 1940s, primarily dealing in works by Paul Klee. As this piece attests, although their affair had cooled off since the 1920s, Einstein remained in contact with her following her emigration to the United States. Provenance: Estella Katzenellenbogen (inscription) – Konrad Kellen — by descent to the consignor.
Adresse de l'enchère CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
Royaume-Uni
Aperçu
02.10.2025 – 16.10.2025
Téléphone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
E-mail
Commission see on Website
Conditions d'utilisationConditions d'utilisation

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