Four autograph letters from Albert Einstein brought to auction at Stockholms Auktionsverk

What was it like when a Nobel laureate exchanged ideas in the late 1920s? That is precisely what is depicted in the letters – from the correspondence between mathematics colleagues Albert Einstein and Herman Müntz – that will be up for auction at the Books, Maps & Manuscripts auction on June 13th at Stockholms Auktionsverk. The four autograph letters, two in their original envelopes, are neatly written in ink, dated 1928 and 1929, and signed by A. Einstein. Amongst other equations, the sender proposes the' Fern-Parallelismus' as part of his ‘unified field theory’ that was then submitted to the Prussian Academy of Sciences in August of 1929.

“What makes these letters truly fascinating and interesting is their scientific significance. They contain mathematical calculations presented in an easily readable manner, indicating Einstein’s desire to engage Müntz in a discussion. He not only explains his concepts but delves into the mathematical challenges they pose. This intellectual depth gives the letters their weight, making them more than just polite greetings from Albert Einstein. They are actual scientific documents”, as Katharina Fahlstedt, Chief Curator of Books, Maps and Manuscripts at Stockholm Auktionsverk, describes them.

The Polish-German mathematician Herman Müntz (1884-1956) was active in Berlin and Munich, born in what was then Russia. He worked closely with Einstein in 1927. Two years later, he was appointed professor at the University of Leningrad, where he taught until 1937, when – as a German citizen – he was deported and moved to Sweden. He then stayed in Sweden for the remainder of his life. Müntz continued to work closely with Albert Einstein, and his help was recognized in several of his published papers and articles. The historical context of their correspondence, set against the backdrop of political upheaval and scientific progress, adds a significant layer to these letters.

Einstein rarely kept his early calculations and unfinished working papers, so it is rare for four letters to be offered on the market at the same time. Therefore, they will be sold together with an estimate of 500,000 SEK.

“While Einsten's letters are more common on the American auction market, they are rare in the Swedish market. I have personally not seen many of them in my years in the business. But these letters come from a Swedish private collection, which is also a bit remarkable. It will be exciting to see what kind of interest they attract.”

In recent years, working documents signed by Albert Einstein have fetched high prices. At the end of 2021, a comprehensive document of 54 handwritten pages by Einstein and his colleague Michele Besso was sold at Christie's in Paris for 118 million SEK. At the auction, ‘the fascinating insight into the mind of the greatest scientist of the 20th century’ was the main reason for the document's final price. The same goes for the letters that will now go under the hammer at Nybrogatan 32 in Stockholm, as Albert Einstein eventually realized that the constructs of his published ‘unified field theory’ did not hold up. In a later letter to the young scientist Herbert Salzer, he commented on his faulty equations with the words, ‘Therefore your transformation equation is correct, mine wrong.’ Not even Einstein got everything right all the time.

The Fine Art auction Books, Maps & Manuscripts will be held on June 13th. The catalogue will be published on May 29th and viewed at Nybrogatan 32 in Stockholm between June 4th and 10th.