2022-07 Raynors HCA Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/15/2022
JOHN ERICSSON (1803-1889). Built the Civil War Union's Ironclad Ship “Monitor” the first screw propeller-powered vessel and made improvements in locomotives c. 1829; Swedish-American Engineer and Designer. December 8, 1847-Dated, Choice Content Autograph Letter Signed, “J Ericsson”, 3 pages, measuring 7.5” x 9.75”, no place, Very Fine. A finely written letter by John Ericsson expressing his frustrations as an inventor, engineer and builder, regarding construction mentioning of “our engines” and dealing with “a lot of bad rolled English iron and that their shaft had split” plus underlines “a list of the suffered defects”. Normal transmittal folds and light wear, small edge chip at the top left corner. Ericsson writes to a gentleman, in part: “...I have read Mr. Cangl's letter with mingled feelings of anger and merriment. Our friend always continues to place himself in the wrong in trying to be very smart. I have for two years courted suggestions of improvements and in reply to the sweeping assertion that our engines are very imperfect, asked for a list of the suffered defects, with a promise that I would much cheerfully make amendments... As for the stuff he told me when we last met that he had been so unfortunate to have got hold of a lot of bad rolled English iron and that their shaft had split. I told him such an accident had never happened here...” Letter continues with more technical content. Great content from this famous engineer. Accompanied by an engraving of Ericsson with two illustrations plucked from a book titled “Leading American Inventors”, one of them drawings illustrating the Monitor, the other his locomotive “Novelty” built in 1829.
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