Description:

Hendrik Lorentz
"Madison", March 26, 1922
Hendrik Lorentz ALS to Manhattan Project Administrator G. Pegram on Giving Guest Lecture
ALS

An autograph letter from Dutch physicist Henrik Lorentz, signed "H. A. Lorentz", and addressed to George Braxton Pegram of Columbia University. 1p, measuring approximately 6" x 8", Madison, March 26, 1922. Written on a sheet of scrap paper, with Lorentz writing deliberately around the torn right hand margin. Within, he asks Pegram to arrange accommodations ahead of a lecture scheduled on April 12, and mentions their mutual friend and fellow professor Harold W. Webb. Exhibits general age toning and soiling to far right margin, with uneven tearing to the same. Good overall condition.

In full:

"I shall be very glad to give my lecture, in accordance with your suggestion, on the evening of Wednesday April 12th, at the hour that may be most suitable. We shall arrive at 3.10 P.M. of that day at the Pennsylvanian station and shall have to leave at the same station Thursday morning. You will therefore greatly oblige me by having the kindness to order a room for us in some hotel in the neighbourhood. I hope this will not be too troublesome to you. With kind greetings, both to yourself and Professor Webb…
We shall be in Cambridge from April 6th until 11th."

Hendrick Lorentz (1853-1928) was a Dutch theoretical physicist who shared the 1902 Nobel Prize in Physics with Pieter Zeeman for their research "into the influence of magnetism upon radiation phenomena", known as the Zeeman Effect. He is perhaps best remembered, however, for his formulation on the so-called "Lorentz transformation", which provided a basis for the restricted theory of relativity. Indeed, Lorentz's achievements quickly became widespread throughout Europe, paving the way for future advances by younger colleagues such as Einstein, Bohr, and Planck.

George B. Pegram (1876-1958) was an American physicist who played a key role in the technical administration of the Manhattan Project, having brokered a meeting in 1940 between Enrico Fermi and the U.S. Navy, at which time the prospect of an atomic bomb was raised with the military for the first time. He spent the majority of his professional career at Columbia starting in 1918, and served as the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences until 1930. Throughout his tenure, Pegram attempted to expose his students to ideas from Europe, often inviting Lorentz and other notable physicists to give guest lectures.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 6" x 8"
  • Medium: ALS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

November 19, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000