RADIANT ENERGY AND ITS ANALYSIS: ITS RELATION TO MODERN ASTROPHYSICS

1903. LARKIN, Edgar L[ucien]. RADIANT ENERGY AND ITS ANALYSIS: ITS RELATION TO MODERN ASTROPHYSICS. Illustrated. Los Angeles, California: Baumgardt Publishing Company, [1903]. Small 8vo., decorative blue cloth, stamped in black & white; 335 pages. First Edition. Edgar Lucien Larkin was appointed director of the Lowe Observatory in 1900 and remained in that position for 25 years. "Radiant Energy" is a compilation of works published in the "San Francisco Examiner" from February through August 1902. In 1910, a fire in a storage building destroyed the plates and extra copies of this title and Larkin had to bear the entire expense of his loss. Signed presentation from Larkin on the front endpaper: "To Charles W. Caryl, with the compliments of the Author, Edgar L. Larkin. Oct. 6- '03." Below is written in another hand (presumably Caryl's): "Presented to Mr. W. P. Carstarphen by Mr. Caryl." I have no information on Caryl but Carstarphen was a radio pioneer. Work on a wireless radio design began in 1901 in the shop co-owned in Denver. The shop eventually became the Carstarphen Electric co., which was involved in early radio design and manufacture. A scarce title, especially inscribed by Larkin, whose autograph appears to be uncommon. Good (contents clean & tight with some rubbing, especially to spine; a one-inch & three-inch narrow red stain on rear cover; hinges cracked but still tight; two signatures askew). $750.00.