MENDELEEV DMITRY IVANOVICH (1834-1907), AUTOGRAPH Handwritten letter by D.I. Mendeleev, addressed to the Director of the Public Library, Athanasius Fedorovich Bychkov (1818-1899). December 23, 1890. A great rarity — letters by the scientist are extremely scarce on today’s antiquarian market.

Text on 1 page. Traces of folding. ‘’Dear Sir / Afanasy Fedorovich, / Since I once successfully petitioned you on behalf of Mr. Tamarin to obtain a position at the Public Library, I have decided to make a similar request now. I hope that this time, too, you will not refuse to appoint [illegible] Alexander Alekseevich Vasilyev, son of an artist at the porcelain factory. I believe that he will live up to the recommendation. / Please accept my deepest respect and readiness to serve. / D. Mendeleev.’ [translated from Russian] Afanasy Fyodorovich Bychkov (1818-1899) was a Russian historian, archaeographer, bibliographer, paleographer, academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1869), director of the Imperial Public Library (1882-1899), member of the State Council (since 1890). Privy Councillor. Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev was a great Russian scientist and public figure, an honorary doctor of many universities and an honorary member of academies and scientific societies in leading countries around the world. The scientist’s authority was enormous. His scientific title consisted of more than a hundred titles. Almost all major institutions—academies, universities, scientific societies—both in Russia and abroad elected D.I. Mendeleev as their honorary member. However, the scientist signed his works and official correspondence simply as “D. Mendeleev” or “Professor Mendeleev.”