Description:

Albert Einstein
n.p.
Albert Einstein Letter With Great Mark Twain Association Ex: Sotheby's
TLS
A superb typed letter signed by Einstein, Oct. 21, 1942. To Cyril Clemens, a more or less fictitious relative of Samuel Clemens who founded the International Mark Twain Society in 1923 as a ruse to collect autographs! The letter is an apparent response to an invitation to a birthday party, and an enquiry after an alleged nephew of Einstein named Caesar. One page, 7.5" x 10" (sight), [n.p.], This letter is set into a black and gilt frame to dimensions of 12.75" x 15.25". Fine. Please note: the letter is encapsulated or otherwise preserved in a layer of glossy resin or acrylic; as such it is not able to be professionally graded.

Einstein, ever the gentleman, politely declines his correspondent's requests, in part: "...So far I have not received an invitation for the Mark Twain Birthday Celebration...due to the poor state of my health I cannot accept such invitations anymore. As to your second question: I do not know of a nephew called Ceasar [sic, Caesar] Einstein, according to the definition of ‘nephew' known to me. I do not even know a person of this name...'.

Cyril Clemens (1902-1999) was a third cousin twice removed of Samuel L. Clemens. Desirable of being "fame adjacent," Cyril exploited his distant relationship with the author to his benefit, founding the International Mark Twain Society through which he was able to hobnob with many luminaries of the time and gather valuable written correspondence while doing so. Cyril thus amassed a large collection of autographs by prominent persons who admired Mark Twain's writing. Cyril never denied making a career out of being Mark Twain's so-called cousin, but it was the claim of being a close relative that started the first of his legal troubles in the 1930s. In 1932, Cyril's' book "Mark Twain the Letter Writer" and followed by "My Cousin Mark Twain" in 1939, were suppressed by the Twain estate for copyright infringement, with the prosecution arguing that the moniker "cousin" was without basis and used solely for profit. Clemens was again suppressed by the Twain estate a year later for advertising for Twain letters to be included in a new work. The judge in the case again found for the estate, arguing that "the copyright in letters belongs to the writer of the letters and his heirs, not to the person in physical possession of the letters." A decade later, Cyril found himself in hot water yet again, this time with the fraud division of the USPS, which claimed that mail sent from the International Mark Twain Society (which had neither a board of directors nor actual positions as listed on the letterhead and, further, was published erratically) demonstrated that it was being used solely as a means to elicit donations from the recipients of its mailings. Despite his recklessness, Cyril managed to leave a lasting legacy of Twain material: in 1985, he donated to the Mark Twain Memorial in Hartford, Connecticut, the largest private collection of Twain letters in the country.

The "Ceasar Einstein" to whom Cyril Clemens refers may be Bernhard Caesar Einstein, one of Albert Einstein's three known biological grandchildren. Bernhard (1930-2008), known as "Hadi," was the son of Einstein's son Hans, and the only to survive into adulthood. This, however, is all speculation, as it would be quite surprising for Einstein to deny a relationship with his grandson!

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 12.75" x 15.25"
  • Medium: TLS

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