Albert Einstein's "Theory of Happiness" Note - Imperial Hotel Tokyo, 1922

In 1922, Albert Einstein was staying at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo when a bellboy delivered a message. Having no cash for a tip, Einstein instead wrote this note on hotel stationery: "A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness." He told the bellboy to keep it, saying it might become valuable someday. In 2017, that note sold at auction for $1.56 million.

This meticulous reproduction captures Einstein's distinctive rounded script and the elegant Imperial Hotel letterhead. Created at 1.5x the original size (original: 13 x 21 cm), the stationery details were hand-drawn with Pigma Micron markers, the German text written with ballpoint pen to match Einstein's original stroke weight, and the vintage patina achieved through careful tea-staining. Every element—from the Japanese characters to the managing director's name—honors the historical document.