Guide to the Bruno De Finetti Papers, 1924-2000 ASP.1992.01
Arrangement
Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Bruno De Finetti Papers
Creator
De Finetti, Bruno
Collection Number
ASP.1992.01
Extent
11.5 Linear Feet(15 large and 6 small document cases, 3 record center cartons of annotated books)
Date
1924-2000
Abstract
Bruno de Finetti was an Italian probabilist and statistician, noted for the "operational subjective" conception of probability. He provided significant contributions to the theory and the foundations of probability, and his work laid the foundation for the modern subjectivist interpretation of probability. The papers include de Finetti's student notebooks, research papers, lecture and teaching notes, professional and administrative records, newspaper clippings, personal and professional correspondence, and volumes of books from his personal library. Digital reproductions of this collection are available online.
Language
English
.
Author
Gualtiero Piccinini, Francesca di Poppa in 2003, and Brigitta Arden in 2004. Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Brigitta Arden in July 2004.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System Archives & Special Collections Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Biography
Bruno de Finetti was born on June 13, 1906, in Innsbruck, Austria, and died in Rome on July 20, 1985. He began his academic career at the Polytechnic of Milan in 1923 as a student of engineering but later enrolled in the mathematics program at Milan University. While still an undergraduate student, he published his first paper in the area of biomathematics titled "Mathematical Considerations Regarding Mendelian Heredity."
After completing his degree in applied mathematics in 1927, he joined the newly formed Italian census bureau, Istituto centrale di statistica (ISTAT), in Rome. In 1930 he obtained a position as an assistant professor in mathematical analysis at the University of Trieste. One year later he also started working at the insurance company "Assicurazioni Generali" in Trieste on the company's system automation with IBM machines while at the same time teaching calculus of probability at the University of Trieste. In 1936 he entered the competition for the chair of financial mathematics and statistics. Although finishing first place, he was not nominated due to a fascist law denying access to this position to unmarried candidates. Eventually, in 1950, he was appointed ordinary professor at the University of Trieste, effective retroactively to the year 1942. In 1954 he accepted a call to the faculty of economy and commerce at the University of Rome and transferred in 1961 to the chair of calculus of probability at the faculty of mathematical, physical, and natural sciences. De Finetti stayed at the University of Rome until his retirement in 1976. He died in Rome on July 20, 1985.
De Finetti provided significant contributions to the theory and foundation of probability, both from methodological and philosophical points of view. His concept of subjective probability evolved as a result of his profound interest in the application of logical theories, such as the application of mathematics to actuarial questions, to the statistics of insurance, and to the organizational techniques of public administration.
De Finetti also pioneered the concept of "exchangeability" or "exchangeable events." With the introduction of this model, he discovered a way of connecting the notion of subjective probability with the traditional procedures of statistical inference. De Finetti developed his ideas on subjective probability in the 1920s independently of Frank P. Ramsey. He only became known in the Anglo-American statistical world in the 1950s when L. J. Savage introduced his writings.
Arrangement
The papers were divided into six series. Each series is then divided into one or more subseries according to subject area. More detailed scope and content notes are also available at the series level.
Series I. Educational Records
Series II. Professional Activities
Series III. Research
Series IV. Correspondence
Series V. Personal Interests
Series VI. Writings by de Finetti and Others.
Scope and Content Notes
The papers include de Finetti's student notebooks, research material, lecture and teaching notes, professional and administrative records, newspaper clippings, personal and professional correspondence, and books from his working library. The majority of the documents are in Italian and some are in English, French, and German.
The papers, mainly covering the years 1930-1985, are organized into several series and subseries according to subject matter. Original folders, created by de Finetti, are indicated by headings in quotation marks. Sometimes an inventory sheet by Fulvia de Finetti can be found at the beginning of these folders.
De Finetti's educational records (Series I) consist of notebooks and loose notes from his student days at the University of Milan during the years 1924-1927.
Documents comprised under "Professional Activities" (Series II) concern his involvement in numerous professional organizations, in academic business, and in publication projects. Topics include de Finetti's job applications at various institutions, academic business at the University of Trieste and Rome, and his membership on the scientific board of Statistica and in Accademia dei Lincei.
Bruno de Finetti's research papers (Series III) consist largely of notes, drafts, and typescripts, representing his scientific and academic work as well as its application in such projects as the development of a unified coding system for government records. Also documented is his participation in various national and international conferences and workshops. Major research topics featured in this series are probability theory, probability calculus, statistics, actuarial science, game theory, subjective probability, Bayes' theorem, and mathematics applied to economics.
The correspondence (Series IV) illustrates primarily de Finetti's research and academic activities. Noteworthy correspondents are, among others, Oskar Morgenstern, George Polya, Antonio Gennaro, Luciano Daboni, Dennis Lindley, Jerzy Neyman, Siro Lombardini, Pierpaolo Luzzatto-Fegiz, and Jimmie Savage. General events discussed are research by de Finetti and others, mutual exchange of papers and related comments, and de Finetti's publication and teaching projects. The material is arranged alphabetically according to correspondent and then chronologically within folders. However, please note that many pieces of correspondence can also be found in de Finetti's original, subject-related folders throughout the collection, which were not removed in order to preserve the original arrangement.
Series V documents de Finetti's personal interests such as his involvment in school reform and teaching methodology, his political activism, and related legal problems. A wide variety of materials illustrate de Finetti's efforts to improve science and mathematics teaching, teacher education, and school curricula. Subjects discussed are writings by de Finetti such as Il "saper vedere" in matematica and "Perchè la matematica?" de Finetti's plans for educational movies, and a project for an educational center for teachers. Numerous letters, memoranda, newspaper clippings, articles, and court documents give evidence of de Finetti's political and social activism. Documented are his memberships in the fascist party, his participation in the Movimento Politico Lavoratori (MPL), and his role as editor of the Radical Party's publication Notizie Radicali.
A collection of writings by de Finetti and others, mostly in form of offprints and typescripts, sometimes accompanied by related correspondence, is compiled under the last series (Series VI). These writings illustrate his lifelong political and social engagement on subjects ranging from domestic and foreign politics to ethics, politics of language, sustainable development, and Italian bureaucracy, just to name a few. In addition, annotated books from his library document his research work and his comments on the literature.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Acquisition Information
Acquired from Bruno de Finetti's daughter, Fulvia de Finetti, Rome, Italy, January 1992, February 1993, and February 1994.
Previous Citation
Bruno de Finetti Papers, 1924-2000, ASP.1992.01, Archives of Scientific Philosophy, Special Collections Department, University of Pittsburgh
Preferred Citation
Bruno de Finetti Papers, 1924-2000, ASP.1992.01, Archives of Scientific Philosophy, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Gualtiero Piccinini in 2000, Francesca di Poppa in 2003, and Brigitta Arden in 2004.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Dan Horvath on December 16, 2004. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 4534273.
Copyright
Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Existence and Location of Copies
Digital reproductions of this collection are available online.
Subjects
Corporate Names
Accademia nazionale dei Lincei
Università degli studi di Trieste -- Faculty
Università di Roma -- Faculty
Personal Names
De Finetti, Bruno -- Archives
Daboni, Luciano
De Gennaro, Antonio
Lindley, D. V. (Dennis Victor)
Lombardini, Siro
Luzzatto Fegiz, Peirpaolo
Morgenstern, Oskar
Neyman, Jerzy
Pólya, George
Savage, Leonard J.
Genres
Lecture notes
Personal correspondence
Offprints
Manuscripts for publication
Other Subjects
Game theory
Bayesian statistical decision theory
Economics, Mathematical
Mathematical statistics
Probabilities
Philosophy
Container List
Scope and Contents note
Series II has been divided into three subseries: 1. Academics and Academic Business (1929-1983), 2. Professional Organizations and Activities (1934-1986), and 3. Publishing Activities (1937-1987).
The first subseries (Academics and Academic Business) mainly concerns de Finetti's activities in the academic environment such as teaching, university politics and reform, research funding, and job applications. It also includes material on his appeal against the denied appointment to the chair of financial mathematics at the University of Trieste in 1942.
Material in the second subseries (Professional Organizations and Activities) relates largely to de Finetti's membership in professional and scientific organizations, such as the Accademia dei Lincei, his collaboration with professional journals, and his participation at various conferences.
The third subseries (Publishing Activities) features correspondence with publishers, friends, and colleagues, page proofs, drafts, reviews, offprints, and related legal material.
Containers
box 2, folder 1
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box 2, folder 2
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box 2, folder 3
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box 2, folder 4
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box 2, folder 5
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box 2, folder 6
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box 2, folder 7
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box 2, folder 8
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box 2, folder 9
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box 2, folder 10
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box 2, folder 11
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box 2, folder 12
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box 2, folder 13
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box 2, folder 14
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box 2, folder 15
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box 2, folder 16
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box 3, folder 1
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box 3, folder 2
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box 3, folder 3
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box 3, folder 4
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box 3, folder 5
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box 3, folder 6
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box 3, folder 7
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box 3, folder 8
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box 4, folder 1
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box 4, folder 2
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box 4, folder 3
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box 4, folder 4
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box 4, folder 5
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box 4, folder 6
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box 4, folder 7
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box 4, folder 8
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box 4, folder 9
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box 4, folder 10
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box 4, folder 11
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box 4, folder 12
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box 4, folder 13
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box 4, folder 14
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box 4, folder 15
Scope and Contents note
Series III covers de Finetti's research activities. Five research areas were identified and are divided into following subseries: 1. Probability Theory and Statistics, 2. Philosophy of Probability Theory and Philosophy of Science, 3. Applied Research, 4. Actuarial Science, and 5. Writings and Teachings in Economics.
Scope and Contents note
Featured are many drafts and typescripts by de Finetti and others, lecture and teaching notes; correspondence with Beniamino Segre, Herman Chernoff, Ennio Persico, Antonino Gennaro, Francesco Paolo Cantelli, and Jimmie Savage; and contributions to various conferences and workshops.
This subseries contains many lectures notes, drafts, and discussions on research papers with, among others, R.M. Frechet, Jerzy Neyman, Jimmie Leonard Savage, Leon Henkin, I.J. Good, George Polya, Stanislav Ulam, and Franz Kutschera.
Material comprised in this subseries documents de Finetti's work in applied research, often in projects of the public and private sector such as business mechanization and administrative computer applications, as well as soccer betting, and in discussions at various workshops and conferences. It also features correspondence with Beniamino Segre, Mauro Picone, and Mario Dolcher.
Included here are documents on research activities in actuarial sciences such as risk measurement for insurance companies, and financial analysis, accounting, and statistics applied to actuarial sciences; and correspondence with Francesco Paolo Cantelli, Ignazio Messina, Michele Sulfina, Giulio Vivanti, Valentino Arangio-Ruiz, Cesare Bellini, Piero Platone, Riebesell, Guido Marchesini, Francesco Santoro Passarelli, Antigono Donati, Mauro Picone, Gaetano Pietra, Servadei, Fortunati, Ennio Persico, D'Albergo, Filippo Sibirani, Ciocca, and Marcello Signori.
Typescripts, manuscripts, course syllabi, discussion transcriptions, and correspondence primarily document de Finetti's contributions to the field of economics, his participations at various conferences, and his teaching activities. Discussion transcripts record debates between de Finetti, Valli, Ulisse Gobbi, Sergio Bruno, and Figà-Talamanca; and between Malinraud, Durbin, Zellner, Savage, and de Finetti. Among correspondents are Benedetto Barberi, Ugo Amaldi, Carlo Picotti, Francesco Paolo Cantelli, Manlio Udina, Gian Antonio Maggi, Giorgio Colombo, Carlo Fabrizi, Federico Chessa, Bruno Sicherl, Tullio Levi-Civita, Giulio Vivanti, and Giuseppe Guadagnini.
Containers
box 9, folder 1
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box 9, folder 2
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box 9, folder 3
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box 9, folder 4
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box 9, folder 5
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box 9, folder 6
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box 9, folder 7
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box 9, folder 8
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box 9, folder 9
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box 9, folder 10
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box 9, folder 11
Scope and Contents note
Series IV Includes family and personal correspondence and numerous exchanges covering de Finetti's professional and academic activities. Some of the interactions are with institutions or individuals representing institutions. Topics discussed include research by de Finetti and others, mutual exchange of papers and related comments, and de Finetti's publications and teaching projects. Folders 1-3 cover mostly personal and family matters. Folders 7 and 8 were created by de Finetti and their original order was preserved. Some of the topics discussed in folder 7 are family matters, de Finetti's activities as a visiting professor at the University of Chicago, and Savage's visit to Italy. Included is correspondence with Jimmie Savage, Jerzy Neyman, Dario Fürst, and correspondence between Savage and Karl Popper. Folder 8 contains exchanges between de Finetti and Dennis Lindley, Alexandre Marc, and Camillo Dagum. All subsequent folders are arranged alphabetically by correspondent and then chronologically within folders.
Containers
box 10, folder 1
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box 10, folder 2
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box 10, folder 3
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box 10, folder 4
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box 10, folder 5
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box 10, folder 6
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box 10, folder 7-8
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box 10, folder 9
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box 10, folder 10
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box 10, folder 11
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box 10, folder 12
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box 10, folder 13
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box 10, folder 14
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box 10, folder 15
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box 10, folder 16
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box 10, folder 17
Scope and Contents note
Series V covers two areas in which de Finetti showed great personal interest and involvement, and which extend beyond his professional activities. One of them is his interest in the theory of teaching, its application, and its improvement. The second area documents de Finetti's political and social activism and ensuing legal issues. Both areas are divided into two subseries. The first subseries is entitled Theory of Teaching and School Reform and contains typescripts, newspaper clippings, journal issues, and correspondence that illustrate de Finetti's efforts to improve science and mathematics teaching, teacher education, and school curricula. Subjects discussed are de Finetti such as Il "saper vedere" in matematica and Perchè la matematica?, de Finetti's plans for educational movies, and a project for an educational center for teachers. The second subseries is comprised under Socio-Political and Juridical Issues and holds letters, memoranda, newspaper clippings, articles, and court records. Documented are his membership in the facist party, his participation in the Movimento Politico Lavoratori (MPL), and his role as editor of the Radical Party's publication Notizie Radicali.
Containers
box 11, folder 1
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box 11, folder 2
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box 11, folder 3
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box 11, folder 4
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box 11, folder 5
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box 11, folder 6
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box 11, folder 7
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box 11, folder 8
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box 11, folder 9
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box 11, folder 10
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box 11, folder 11
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box 11, folder 12
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box 11, folder 13
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box 11, folder 14
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box 11, folder 15
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box 11, folder 16
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box 11, folder 17
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box 11, folder 18
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box 11, folder 19
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box 11, folder 20
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box 11, folder 21
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box 12, folder 1
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box 12, folder 2
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box 12, folder 3
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box 12, folder 4
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box 12, folder 5
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box 12, folder 6
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box 12, folder 7
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box 12, folder 8
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box 12, folder 9
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box 12, folder 10
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box 12, folder 11
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box 12, folder 12
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box 12, folder 13
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box 12, folder 14
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box 12, folder 15
Scope and Contents note
Series VI comprises writings by de Finetti and others in form of offprints, typescripts, newspaper and magazine clippings. Some articles were compiled by de Finetti himself and some were apparently sent to him by others, as included correspondence shows. Headings in quotation marks indicate that the respective folder was originally created by de Finetti.
Containers
box 13, folder 1
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box 13, folder 2
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box 13, folder 3
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box 13, folder 4
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box 13, folder 5
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box 13, folder 6
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box 13, folder 7
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box 13, folder 8
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box 13, folder 9
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box 13, folder 10
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box 13, folder 11
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box 13, folder 12
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box 13, folder 13
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box 13, folder 14
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box 13, folder 15
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box 13, folder 16
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box 13, folder 17
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box 13, folder 18
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box 13, folder 19
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box 13, folder 20
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box 13, folder 21
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box 13, folder 22
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box 13, folder 23
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box 13, folder 24
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box 13, folder 25
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box 13, folder 26
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box 13, folder 27
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box 13, folder 28
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box 13, folder 29
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box 13, folder 30
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box 13, folder 31
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box 13, folder 32
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box 13, folder 33
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box 13, folder 34
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box 13, folder 35
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box 13, folder 36
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box 13, folder 37
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box 13, folder 38
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box 13, folder 39
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box 13, folder 40
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box 13, folder 41
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box 13, folder 42
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box 13, folder 43
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box 13, folder 44
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box 13, folder 45
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box 13, folder 46
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box 13, folder 47
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box 13, folder 48
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box 13, folder 49
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box 13, folder 50
Language
Italian.
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box 13, folder 51
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box 13, folder 52
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box 13, folder 53
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box 13, folder 54
Language
Italian.
Scope and Contents note
This series contains books annotated by de Finetti.