First separate printing of Einstein’s refutal of De Sitter’s wrong cosmological model, 1918

Albert EINSTEIN: KRITISCHES ZU EINER VON HRN. DE SITTER GEGEBENEN LÖSUNG DER GRAVITATIONSGLEICHUNGEN. [Critical Comment on a Solution of the Gravitational Field Equations Given by Mr. De Sitter.] Sitzungsberichte der Königlich Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, XII (1918). Sitzung der physikalisch-mathematischen Klasse am 7. März, p. 269-272. Berlin: Verlag der Königlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften (in commission at Georg Reimer [Reichsdruckerei]), 21st March 1918.

Imperial 8vo (26,5:19 cm). 3 pages, numbered 269-272. Letterpress on machine paper, in original publisher’s brochure on orange-coloured stock with black title printing.

First separate printing in the original printed wrappers, of Einstein's attempt to refute Willem De Sitter's wrong cosmological model.

Contents: Einstein here criticizes De Sitter's hypothesis about the structure of the cosmic gravitational field. The De Sitter model, which competes with the Einstein cosmos, was the dominant cosmological model until the 1930s. The Academy's publishing list on the rear cover also announces an offprint of this paper for Reichsmark 0,50.

Condition: Wrappers at margins minimally torn, some pages creased due to reading, otherwise well preserved indeed.

Rarity: ABPC (1973ff.) and APO (1988ff.) records only 1 copy of this edition at auction (2011).

Reference: Alicke, Einstein, 91; Boni-Russ-L. 108; Collected Papers, vol. 7, 1; Schilpp-Shields 120; Weil 98.