July 2013 Auction Ends Tuesday, July 23rd, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/23/2013
Fantastic Maurice Wilkins autograph manuscript signed, discussing a 21 August 1952 postcard Wilkins had written to Francis Crick from Rio de Janeiro while attending an important scientific meeting. Included is a photocopy of that original postcard addressed to Crick at his lab in Cambridge. Manuscript, written in black ink, is on one page with a bold ''MHF Wilkins'' signed at the upper right corner. Wilkins describes the early working relationship between him and Rosalind Franklin, particularly with regards to x-ray diffraction, which they both were working on and which helped lead up to the discovery of DNA -- a discovery many claim Rosalind Franklin should have earned credit. Reads in full: ''Postcard 21 Aug 1952 was from Rio de Janeiro where I was invited to help stimulate biophysical research in Brazil. The postcard showed the enormous statue of Christ on a mountain top overlooking the city. I had invented a solid quartz microscope reflecting objective to study DNA in cells; but I had decided such research was of much less importance than DNA molecular structure studies with x-ray diffraction. The study of haemoglobin [sic] in human blood cells took little time and was the last research of that kind which I did. DNA structure & function was the big important problem. 'The phage meeting was fascinating' [citing his letter] refers to a very important international meeting in Paris on the way to Brazil. Jim Watson invited me to attend. The role of DNA in carrying genetic messages into phage and other viruses was becoming clear. At the phage meeting Jim Watson took me to his mentor Delbruck (the leader of the U.S. Phage Group who had been led by Niels Bohr before the war to take up biophysics). Just before I had left London for Rio Rosalind had called a meeting with Stokes and me (who were encouraged by x-ray evidence which pointed to DNA being helical). Rosalind showed us her latest data which appeared to show the helical idea was wrong. Having much respect for Rosalind as a reliable scientist, Stokes and I were persuaded that the very attractive helical ideas were not correct. I reported this to Delbruck who, as a result, was disillusioned with x-ray studies on DNA. Jim Watson, not having heard the details of Rosalind's report, was not prepared to give up the helical idea, if there had not been a great rush to pack up my microscope & leave for Paris & Brazil maybe I could have examined Rosalind's data more carefully; but everything appeared to be in good order. It was, however, only a few years ago that Gosling (who was a friendly joker) told me that it was not he who had written The Death of a Helix joke invitation sent to Stokes but that Rosalind had done it! Rosalind's mother wrote that Rosalind was a great tease!'' In the margin Wilkins writes: ''I felt rather flattered that I had been chosen to be one of a small number of British scientists representing British biology at the Rio international meeting. / I find it disturbing that Rosalind indulged in a joke at a rare & critically important meeting''. Manuscript measures 8.25'' x 11.5'' with staple holes at top left and the number ''4'' circled in pencil, else fine condition.
Maurice Wilkins Autograph Manuscript Signed -- ''...DNA structure & function was the big...problem...I find it disturbing that Rosalind indulged in a joke at a rare & critically important meeting...''
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