205
McMillan, Edwin (1907-1991), and Philip Abelson (1913-2004)
Collection of original material relating to the discovery of Neptunium
‘Radioactive Element 93’, typescript (possibly carbon) of the article published in Physical Review (57, 1185, 15 June 1940) announcing the discovery of Neptunium, 4 ff.;‘Growth of 2.3 day 93 from 23 min. U293/92’, manuscript graph by Philip Abelson showing the decay of Uranium 293 into Neptunium, in pencil on green graph paper, 28 x 21.5cm, with added pencil caption by Edwin McMillan at head, hole-punched in left-hand margin, the graph published as the figure to the above article;A printed version of the graph, possibly a cyanotype, 29.7 x 22cm;‘The Synchrotron - A Proposed High Energy Particle Accelerator’, carbon typescript, 4 ff., stapled at upper left corner;Autograph letter signed from Edwin McMillan to Dr Herbert McLean Evans (1882-1871) of the University of California, endocrinologist and co-discoverer of Vitamin E, 16 May 1946, ‘Dear Dr Evans, The nearest that I could find to the manuscript of the Np letter is the typed copy made at the time of writing, which is enclosed. The hand-written original was apparently destroyed. The graph also enclosed is an original; it was plotted by Abelson, and has a caption in his hand, and a notation at the top in mine. This graph was reproduced in the published letter. Finally, I am sending a typed copy of the Synchrotron MS; here again the original was destroyed' 1 p., signed ‘Edwin M. McMillan’;Typed letter signed from Daniel M. Wilkes (assistant to Edwin McMillan at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory) to Evans, 1963, requesting ‘perusal and possible duplication of the materials he has given you’ on ‘certain materials relating to the discovery of element 93’ (quantity)
1) Given by Edwin McMillan to Dr Herbert M. Evans in 1946; 2) With John Howell, bookseller, San Francisco, in 1974; 3) Private collection, Scotland.
Edwin McMillan and Philip Abelson's discovery of neptunium, the first transuranium element to be identified, was one of the major advances in chemistry and nuclear physics achieved in the 20th century, initiating a cascade of similar discoveries and securing McMillan the 1951 Nobel prize in the first discipline, which he shared with his Berkeley colleague Glenn Seaborg. The pair made the discovery at Berkeley's cyclotron by subjecting uranium 238 to slow neutron bombardment and detecting a substance with a beta-decay half-life of 2.3 days, differing from the known 23-minute half-life of uranium-239 and consequently attributable instead to an isotope of the next element, 93.
Collection of original material relating to the discovery of Neptunium
‘Radioactive Element 93’, typescript (possibly carbon) of the article published in Physical Review (57, 1185, 15 June 1940) announcing the discovery of Neptunium, 4 ff.;‘Growth of 2.3 day 93 from 23 min. U293/92’, manuscript graph by Philip Abelson showing the decay of Uranium 293 into Neptunium, in pencil on green graph paper, 28 x 21.5cm, with added pencil caption by Edwin McMillan at head, hole-punched in left-hand margin, the graph published as the figure to the above article;A printed version of the graph, possibly a cyanotype, 29.7 x 22cm;‘The Synchrotron - A Proposed High Energy Particle Accelerator’, carbon typescript, 4 ff., stapled at upper left corner;Autograph letter signed from Edwin McMillan to Dr Herbert McLean Evans (1882-1871) of the University of California, endocrinologist and co-discoverer of Vitamin E, 16 May 1946, ‘Dear Dr Evans, The nearest that I could find to the manuscript of the Np letter is the typed copy made at the time of writing, which is enclosed. The hand-written original was apparently destroyed. The graph also enclosed is an original; it was plotted by Abelson, and has a caption in his hand, and a notation at the top in mine. This graph was reproduced in the published letter. Finally, I am sending a typed copy of the Synchrotron MS; here again the original was destroyed' 1 p., signed ‘Edwin M. McMillan’;Typed letter signed from Daniel M. Wilkes (assistant to Edwin McMillan at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory) to Evans, 1963, requesting ‘perusal and possible duplication of the materials he has given you’ on ‘certain materials relating to the discovery of element 93’ (quantity)
1) Given by Edwin McMillan to Dr Herbert M. Evans in 1946; 2) With John Howell, bookseller, San Francisco, in 1974; 3) Private collection, Scotland.
Edwin McMillan and Philip Abelson's discovery of neptunium, the first transuranium element to be identified, was one of the major advances in chemistry and nuclear physics achieved in the 20th century, initiating a cascade of similar discoveries and securing McMillan the 1951 Nobel prize in the first discipline, which he shared with his Berkeley colleague Glenn Seaborg. The pair made the discovery at Berkeley's cyclotron by subjecting uranium 238 to slow neutron bombardment and detecting a substance with a beta-decay half-life of 2.3 days, differing from the known 23-minute half-life of uranium-239 and consequently attributable instead to an isotope of the next element, 93.
Books & Manuscripts
Sale Date(s)
Venue Address
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Important Information
A £6,500 spend limit has been applied to this auction. Bidders intending on spending above this amount will need to provide photo identification to have the spend limit removed. To help manage this, you will be asked to confirm your projected spend as part of the auction registration process. You may receive a request to provide photo ID. We ask that you provide this at your earliest convenience on request, to ensure you are free to bid above the £6,500 spend limit on sale day . Please note it is Lyon and Turnbull’s discretion to ask for identification – you will be also asked to provide this if you have no bidding history.
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BUYER'S PREMIUM
The buyer shall pay the hammer price together with a premium, at the following rate, thereon.
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This symbol § indicates works which may be subject to the Droit de Suite or Artist’s Resale Right, which took effect in the United Kingdom on 14th February 2006. We are required to collect a royalty payment for all qualifying works of art. Under new legislation which came into effect on 1st January 2012 this applies to living artists and artists who have died in the last 70 years. This royalty will be charged to the Buyer on the Hammer Price and in addition to the Buyer’s Premium. It will not apply to works where the Hammer Price is less than £1,000. The charge for works of art sold at and above £1,000 and below £50,000 is 4%. For items selling above £50,000, charges are calculated on a sliding scale. All royalty charges are paid to the Design and Artists Copyright Society (‘DACS’) and no handling costs or additional fees are retained by the Auctioneer. Resale royalties are not subject to VAT. Please note that the royalty payment is calculated on the rate of exchange at the European Central Bank on the date of the sale. More information on Droit de Suite is available at www.dacs.org.uk.
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ENDANGERED SPECIES
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Terms & Conditions
UK - Conditions Of Sale For Buyers
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