Suite of ten Chinese silver-gilt liquor beakers.

AUCTION 83 | Thursday, June 20th, 2019 at 1:00pm

Printed Books, Manuscripts, Autograph Letters, Holy Land Maps, Ceremonial Objects, Fine & Graphic Art

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Lot 146

(EINSTEIN, ALBERT

Suite of ten Chinese silver-gilt liquor beakers.

Each engraved with bamboo shoots and monogrammed “A/E/E” (Albert / Elsa / Einstein). Verso of each cup with hallmark “Zeewo,” the Shanghai silversmith, active 1870-1930. Height of each cup: 2.2 inches (5.5 cm).

Est: $2,000 - $3,000

PRICE REALIZED $8,000

Accompanied by his wife Elsa, Albert Einstein traveled to China in November 1922. It was while in Shanghai that Einstein received, on 13th November, a telegram from Oslo notifying him that he was to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. It is possible that this suite of Chinese-export silver cups was presented to Einstein as a congratulatory gift at that time. <<Provenance:>> Personal gift from Albert Einstein to the present owner, the consignor.