Extraordinary ALS, signed “Sam. F. B. Morse,” one lightly lined page both sides, 7.75 x 9.75, September 20, 1862. A fascinating and significant letter, written from Poughkeepsie, New York, to H. S. Morgan in Quebec, in which Morse reviews the available biographical literature on himself and forcefully lays claim to the invention that secured his lasting fame. In part: “There have been numerous biographies of me published in America, in England, France, and Germany, to which I shall be obliged to refer you. They are mostly in volumes of biography which I have in my library, and having only single copies, I cannot well loan them.... I happen to have a French copy sent by M. Lauzac which I send you. There is another in the large Biographical Dictionary edited by M. Hoefer the friend & biographer of Humboldt.... You will find a biography of me in ‘Men of the Time ... N.Y. 1852.... My artist life you will find more at length in Dunlap’s History of the Arts of Design.... Of the notices in the scientific works of Great Britain, I have some complaint to make in the general & persistent endeavor to give priority of invention of the Electro-magnetic Telegraph, to Wheatstone directly in the face of irrefragable evidence to the contrary, abundantly found in the published proceedings of the courts, and their uniform decisions in my favor. Wheatstone does not pretend to date his invention prior to June 1837 while I have abundant evidence in depositions of the highest character that mine was witnessed in operation in the autumn of 1835....” After signing, Morse adds a postscript: “I ought perhaps to say that besides the orders of knighthood bestowed upon me by various sovereigns and the United Honorary Testimonial of the Special Congress of Paris, I have received the Scientific Gold Medals of Austria, Wurtemburg, & Prussia from the respective sovereigns of those countries, the latter in the lid of a gold snuff box.” Accompanied by the original mailing envelope addressed in Morse’s hand. Mailing folds (one lightly touching signature; tiny pinholes at intersections), otherwise fine, bright, exceptionally clean condition. Letters of Morse with telegraphic content of such high caliber, let alone examples in such visually appealing state of preservation, take a place among the most highly coveted examples of nineteenth-century science- and invention-related autograph material. Knowledgeable collectors will surely recognize that the present letter is one of those very select treasures that will likely remain unsurpassed over a lifetime of ardent pursuit. LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
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