January 2022 Auction Ends Thursday, January 27th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/10/2022
Nobel Prize in Chemistry won by Walter Kohn in 1998, unique not only for the scientific impact of Kohn's work, but also for his life experience as one of the children rescued from Nazi-occupied territories in World War II through the Kindertransport program. Kindertransport was established by the United Kingdom in 1938 immediately after the ''Night of Broken Glass'' pogrom in Germany, authorizing the safe passage of almost 10,000 children into the UK. The children were placed in homes throughout the British empire, with Kohn ultimately finding a home in Canada after both his parents were killed in the Holocaust. In addition to his Nobel Prize, lot also includes three science books that Kohn purchased at the temporary internment camp in Canada, all still housed in their well-worn homemade dust jackets: ''A Course of Pure Mathematics'', ''Dent's Modern Science Series'', and ''Properties of Matter''.
The books are a foreshadowing to the incredible achievements that Kohn made to the world through his Nobel Prize-winning work. As the architect of density functional theory (DFT), Kohn devised the computational quantum mechanical modelling system that has allowed scientists to understand the nuclear structure of microscopic matter. Though the underlying structure of NFT is complex, the actual equations are now commonplace among scientists, with countless practical results deriving from it - from discovering trace impurities in chemicals to modeling planetary systems.
Nobel Prize is made of 18kt gold, plated in 24kt gold, consistent with the 1998 medals. Medal features the relief portrait of Alfred Nobel to front, with his name and the years of his birth and death. Reverse features a relief of the Goddess Isis, whose veil is held up by a woman who represents the genius of science. Encircling the medal are the words ''Inventas vitam juvat excoluisse per artes'', translating to ''And they who bettered life on earth by their newly found mastery''. Kohn's name and 1998 in Roman numerals are engraved on a plaque below the relief of the two women, with ''Reg. Acad. Scient. Suec.'' also written, an abbreviation for The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Etched upon the medal is the name of Erik Lindberg, who designed the Nobel medal. Medal weighs 173 grams or just over 6 oz. and measures 2.5'' in diameter. Near fine condition. With an LOA from the Kohn family.
Nobel Prize Won by Walter Kohn, One of the Children Saved by <em>Kindertransport</em> During World War II
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