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SCIENCE – MORSE, DAVY AND EDISON Autograph letter signed ("Saml. F.B. Morse"), to Chas H. Morse, responding to a query about a man who may have been a former employee, 1862; letter signed by Humphry Davy; signed photograph and watercolour of Thomas Edison image 1
SCIENCE – MORSE, DAVY AND EDISON Autograph letter signed ("Saml. F.B. Morse"), to Chas H. Morse, responding to a query about a man who may have been a former employee, 1862; letter signed by Humphry Davy; signed photograph and watercolour of Thomas Edison image 2
SCIENCE – MORSE, DAVY AND EDISON Autograph letter signed ("Saml. F.B. Morse"), to Chas H. Morse, responding to a query about a man who may have been a former employee, 1862; letter signed by Humphry Davy; signed photograph and watercolour of Thomas Edison image 3
SCIENCE – MORSE, DAVY AND EDISON Autograph letter signed ("Saml. F.B. Morse"), to Chas H. Morse, responding to a query about a man who may have been a former employee, 1862; letter signed by Humphry Davy; signed photograph and watercolour of Thomas Edison image 4
Lot 118

SCIENCE – MORSE, DAVY AND EDISON
Autograph letter signed ("Saml. F.B. Morse"), to Chas H. Morse, responding to a query about a man who may have been a former employee, 1862; letter signed by Humphry Davy regarding an election to the Royal Society, 1826; signed photograph and a watercolour of Thomas Edison

15 June 2016, 14:00 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £2,375 inc. premium

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SCIENCE – MORSE, DAVY AND EDISON

Autograph letter signed ("Saml. F.B. Morse"), to Chas H. Morse, responding to a query about a man who may have been a former employee and asking for more information ("...By having answers to these questions, I might be able to find his friends, and the relief he requires..."), 1 page, 8vo, Po'Keepsie, 12 September 1862; with a printed order of service for his memorial service on 16th April 1872; a secretarial letter signed by Humphry Davy ("H. Davy") as President of the Royal Society, to ("Sir"), marked "Private & confidential", explaining that, as President, he is unable to interfere in elections, mentioning that Fellows are divided into two classes, "working scientific men" and "Patrons of Science", going on to explain that professional men should offer "...some paper or communication which may imply qualification..." though "...this rule has not been so strictly attended to as it ought to have been...", 3 pages, 8vo, two light stains, [no place], 30 April 1826; together with a signed photograph of Thomas A. Edison ("Thos A Edison"), inscribed to W. L. Peel, the president of the American National Bank of Atlanta, Georgia, silver print of a painting on canvas, copyright "TAE", 205 x 140mm.; and a sepia watercolour portrait of Thomas Edison, head and shoulders, by B. Franyo, c.1925, 400 x 297mm., framed (5)

Footnotes

HUMPHRY DAVY ON HOW TO BE ELECTED TO THE ROYAL SOCIETY: At this time, a year before he gave up the Presidency, the Royal Society was 'teetering between remaining a gentleman's club and becoming an academy of science. Davy favoured judicious modernizing... He made publication an important factor in election, but, lacking the social status of Banks, he was unable to force his will upon the fellows, and found himself between hostile camps' (David Knight, ODNB). See illustration overleaf.

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