Liquid Crystals [Special Supplement] in Nature 133, No. 3360, March 24, 1934

1934. 1st Edition. FIRST EDITION IN ORIGINAL WRAPS OF NATURE'S SPECIAL 11 PAGE SUPPLEMENT ON LIQUID CRYSTALS BY NOBEL PRIZE WINNER SIR WILLIAM BRAGG. This is the first time "a coherent story has been made of the optical principles [of liquid crystals] by which their characteristic behaviour is exhibited" (Editors, Nature Supplement, March 24, 1934).

Included are 14 figures. In 1913-1914, William Bragg and his son Lawrence " founded a new branch of science of the greatest importance and significance, the analysis of crystal structure by means of X-rays. If the fundamental discovery of the wave aspect of X-rays, as evidenced by their diffraction in crystals, was due to von Laue and his collaborators, it is equally true that the use of X-rays as an instrument for the systematic revelation of the way in which crystals are built was entirely due to the Braggs. This was recognized by the award of the Nobel Prize jointly to father and son in 1915" (Nobel Prize Committee).

In this Nature supplement, Bragg writes that "the examination and explanation of their behaviour links them on one hand to the large class of oriented liquid films, and suggests on the other hand that more regular structure which X-ray analysis is daily revealing to us in so many directions.

"By means of new photographs, diagrams and drawings of models, Sir William Bragg has with appealing directness given us a statement of the problems which these bodies have yielded. The optical behaviour of the main groups is thus seen to be related to a varying degree of regularity of arrangement while in the mobile phase" (Editors, Nature).

ALSO INCLUDED: Mendelssohn's letter "Persistent Currents in Supraconductors". This is the first report that "the magnetic induction in tin spheres, which were cooled in an external magnetic field until they became supraconductive, did not vanish entirely, but that part of the magnetic flux remained in the body. This result was confirmed by the 1934 magnetic experiments by Rjabinin and Shubnikow and by calorimetric measurements by Keesom and Kok" (Keeley, Experiments on Supraconductors, Nature 134, p. 773). CONDITION & DETAILS: 4to. (10.5 x 7.5 inches; 262 x 188mm). Bearing small institutional stamp on front and rear wrap (see image). Slight spotting to the left margin of the out wrap (remains of having been bound in larger volume), otherwise and bright inside and out. Very good condition.