"It is a draft of a complete movement," said Stephen Roe, the head of Sotheby's manuscripts department.

"It was a stroke of luck that we found these texts," said Ernst Gamillscheg, director of the manuscripts department at the National Library.

"It was almost certainly from an edition of something like a thousand copies," said Paul Needham, who heads Sotheby's rare books and manuscripts department.

Christie's New York has had two banner years in its books and manuscripts department.

Roy Davids, who heads Sotheby's rare books and manuscripts department in London, said by telephone that the French Government action would not affect the sale.

"This is an important archive, and it's a lot of fun as well," said Selby Kiffer, a senior vice president in Sotheby's books and manuscripts department.

They are expected to bring about $1,700, according to Dr. STEPHEN ROE, director of the manuscripts department.

Questioned as to the material's authenticity, Catherine Williamson, director of the fine books and manuscripts department at Butterfields, said simply, "We've done our homework."

The crime was the brainchild of the former head of the library's rare manuscripts department, who had emigrated to Israel.

"It is the lengthiest scientific autograph manuscript of Einstein's that survives," said Paul Needham, who heads Sotheby's books and manuscripts department in New York.