Superb pairing of a typed letter signed by Albert Einstein and a first English edition of Relativity: The Special and the General Theory, a Popular Exposition:
TLS in German, signed “A. Einstein,” one page, 8.5 x 10.75, blindstamped personal Princeton letterhead, December 13, 1935. Letter to D. Bloomfield in Boston, in full (translated): "To my great regret, for lack of time and energy it is impossible for me to accept your kind invitation." In very good to fine condition, with light creasing, a tear and old tape stain to the right edge, and toning from prior display. Written during his Princeton years, this letter reflects a period when Einstein was frequently sought for consultation and commentary on his revolutionary theory of relativity; this courteous refusal captures both his selective public engagement and the immense global demand for his intellectual presence.
First edition book: Relativity: The Special and the General Theory, a Popular Exposition, by Albert Einstein, translated by Robert W. Lawson. First English edition. London: Methuen & Co., 1920. Hardcover with dust jacket, 5.25 x 7.5, 138 pages. Book condition: VG-/G+, with staining to endpapers, sunning to front board and spine, and light soiling; the jacket has several small chips and tears to edges, reinforced with archival tape on the inside. This edition represents Einstein’s own effort to make his theories—particularly those surrounding 'E = mc²'—accessible to a general audience, bridging advanced physics and public understanding. First-issue copies retaining the fragile jacket are now quite scarce.
