Description:

Nobel Physics Laureate Enrico Fermi thanks Harvard physicist Prof. Philippe Le Corbeiller for letting him "use your office during my visit to Harvard" as a guest lecturer – Fermi "enjoyed particularly reading some of the interesting books that you have collected" – present is Le Corbeiller's copy of Max Born's "Atomic Physics" – undoubtedly one of those books

ENRICO FERMI (1901-1954) Autograph Letter Signed "E. Fermi" in English, in pencil, one page, 5" x 3". [Cambridge, Massachusetts, December 1953]. To Philippe Le Corbeiller. Date in Le Corbeiller's hand. Tipped to page 196 of Le Corbeiller's copy of the book "Atomic Physics" by Max Born, the first page of Chapter VII Quantum Statistics. Letter is in fine condition.

In full, "Dear Professor Le Corbeiller: Thank you very much for allowing me to use your office during my visit to Harvard. I enjoyed particularly reading some of the interesting books that you have collected. Sincerely Yours, E. Fermi.".

Professor Enrico Fermi was the first Morris Loeb "Short Term" Lecturer at Harvard University in the 1953 Fall Term. Established that year by the Department of Physics under the terms of a bequest of Morris Loeb, Harvard 1883, Fermi delivered a series of four lectures dealing with a research topic of his choice. It was at this time that Fermi used Le Corbeiller's "office during my visit to Harvard." This copy of Max Born's "Atomic Physics" was undoubtedly one "of the interesting books" collected by Le Corbeiller that he "enjoyed particularly reading..."

Enrico Fermi (1901-1954) was awarded the 1938 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his demonstrations of the existence of new radioactive elements produced by neutron irradiation, and for his related discovery of nuclear reactions brought about by slow neutrons." In 1923, 22-year-old Fermi was awarded a scholarship from the Italian government and spent several months with Prof. Max Born in Gottingen, Germany.
Max Born (1882-1970) was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his fundamental research in quantum mechanics, especially for his statistical interpretation of the wavefunction."

Rubber stamped on the half-title page indicating ownership is "P. Le Corbeiller / Cruft Laboratory / Harvard University / Cambridge 38, Mass." Philippe Le Corbeiller (1891-1980), French-American electrical engineer, mathematician, physicist, and educator who fled France in 1941 and taught at Harvard until 1968. There is evidence Le Corbellier frequently referred to this book. On some pages, Le Corbeiller has penciled mathematical equations, short notes, and numerous page references to other pages. There are a few photographs of scientists from magazines tipped onto pages mentioning them. The book itself has a partial split at front joint, partial splits inside and at front and back between covers and pages, slight separation between two sections within the text, all due to frequent use by Le Corbeiller. Overall, book is in good condition.

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