LONDON: A signed letter written by German scientist Albert
Einstein to his closest friend Michele Besso, expressing joy at the
success of his theory of relativity, has fetched $106,250 at an auction.
The letter is postmarked Berlin and dates December 10, 1915. It was originally estimated to be worth $30,000."The boldest dreams have now been fulfilled," Einstein wrote in the letter, rejoicing in his theory's success.
Einstein
had set out the key elements of the general theory of relativity in
four magisterial papers submitted to the Prussian Academy of Sciences
between November 4 and 25, according to the British auction house
Christie's.
The postcard was a part of a collection of letters
written by Einstein to his college friend Besso that was auctioned
online at Christie's. The collection of 63 letters was sold for a total
of $1,234,625.Einstein's general theory of relativity is one of most important developments of 20th-century physics.
Published in 1916, it explains that gravity is in fact curvature of space and time.
The
postcard, written in German, opens with news of an intended journey to
Switzerland, after Einstein was assured that his eldest son, Hans
Albert, wished to spend time with him.
Einstein signed off the letter with 'greetings from your happy but rather worn out Albert'.