Raab Collection, a specialized Philadelphia firm dedicated to the acquisition, conservation and sale of historical letters and documents, presented in recent days an object that is for sale for the first time.
The firm offers, for $65,000, an unpublished, handwritten quote from the Jewish scientist Albert Einstein. The writing is signed by Einstein, and dated 1931.
On a small card, the scientist wrote in German the phrase “The greatest value of knowledge lies in knowledge itself.” On the collection's website, it is explained that "that belief illuminates Einstein's motivation for his own lasting contribution to learning, in that the acquisition of knowledge is an end in itself and not just a means to another." end".
The Raab Collection has several other items written by Einstein currently for sale, including a large photograph by photographer Herman Landshoff of the scientist, a letter criticizing the alliance between Nazism and Christianity in Germany, and a photograph of his visit to United States in 1930.
Regarding the quote, Natan Raab, president of the firm, explained that “it almost certainly comes from an album sheet or small piece of paper obtained by the original recipient. “Einstein was known for writing sentiments to people he knew, although we have never seen this quote, nor have leading Einstein scholars.”