Autographs
1878 Joseph Henry First Director of the Smithsonian Institution Beautifully Penned Autograph Letter Signed
JOSEPH HENRY (1797-1878), American Scientist Who Became The First Director of the Smithsonian Institution.
January 10, 1878-Dated, Autograph Letter Signed, "Joseph Henry", at Washington, D.C., 3 pages, measuring about 9.75" x 7.5", Choice Extremely Fine. In this letter, Henry writes to Joseph Patterson to thank him for setting up a Smithsonian Institution testimonial to himself (Henry). Though he could have sufficed with a mere "Thank you", Henry is effusive in his humility and generous in his gratitude. His handwriting is crisp and clean and his bold large signature measures 2.25 across, some tone on the left side of the blank last page. Better than average content from a person whose signature is seldom encountered. This may have been one of the last letters he ever signed; he mentions an illness in the first line and died a few months later on May 13, 1878.
Joseph Henry (December 17, 1797" May 13, 1878) was an American scientist who served as the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. He was the secretary for the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, a precursor of the Smithsonian Institution. He was highly regarded during his lifetime.
While building electromagnets, Henry discovered the electromagnetic phenomenon of self-inductance. He also discovered mutual inductance independently of Michael Faraday, though Faraday was the first to make the discovery and publish his results.
Henry developed the electromagnet into a practical device. He invented a precursor to the electric doorbell (specifically a bell that could be rung at a distance via an electric wire, 1831) and electric relay (1835). His work on the electromagnetic relay was the basis of the practical electrical telegraph, invented by Samuel F. B. Morse and Sir Charles Wheatstone, separately.
In his honor the SI unit of inductance is named the henry (plural: henries; symbol: H).