MARCONI GUGLIELMO: (1874-1937) Italian Inventor who developed a radio telegraph system. Nobel Prize winner for Physics, 1909.

An excellent D.S., G. Marconi, three pages, 4to, Pisa, n.d., [1934], in Italian. The printed document is a proof copy of Marconi's preface to Antonio Pacinotti: la vite e l'opera (edited by Giovanni Polvani and published by Lischi and Sons in two volumes, Pisa, 1934). The text commences `Seventy five years ago, between 1858 and 1859, a young man from Pisa, working on some of his extremely original scientific tests, "dreams" as he used to call them, created for the first time ever a magnetic-electric device, suitable to generate a continuous electric induced power from a permanent mechanic power…this young man was Antonio Pacinotti...and seventy five years of tests and further works have only served to prove all the advantages of such a discovery as its inventor predicted. His creation was simply perfect and represents in the history of the electricity the indispensable element, sought for fifty years, and never achieved…this was the great Italian creation: the battery. ´ Marconi further makes references to Pacinotti´s works, his tests and research, and his permanent lack of funds which made impossible the development of many of his projects and ideas. Marconi concludes `I finish…. expressing my wish that more tributes of this kind will show to Italians and foreigners, with accurate and objective explanation of honest and sincere historical facts, the work and life of many other great geniuses of our country. This way we will be sure that we are collaborating to the tasks that the Duce has called us for, that our beloved Italy will be admired and dreaded, and be at the head of the world. ´ Signed by Marconi at the conclusion. A document of good content and with an interesting association. Some light overall age toning and a few very small, extremely minor tears to the edges, not affecting the text or signature, VG

Antonio Pacinotti (1841-1912) Italian Physicist, best known for inventing an improved form of direct current electrical generator, or dynamo, which he built in 1860 and described in a paper published in 1865. Pacinotti also discovered that the device could also be used as an electric motor.

The publication in which the present preface by Marconi appeared was entitled Antonio Pacinotti - Life and Work, and was a compilation of writings, drawings, news and other documents compiled and edited by the Italian Physicist Giovanni Polvani (1892-1970).

Marconi is recognised for his pioneering work on long-distance radio transmission and for the development of a radio telegraph system. He is often credited as the inventor of radio and shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics (with Karl Ferdinand Braun) in 'recognition of their contributions to the development of wireless telegraphy'. Marconi was also an entrepreneur and businessman who founded The Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company in the United Kingdom in 1897 (which became the Marconi Company) and he succeeded in making a commercial success of radio by innovating and building on the work of previous experimenters and physicists.