SIGNATURE OF SHAKESPEARE
DISCOVERT OF NEW SPECIMEN
i LONDON. September 10. 'The accidehtatldlscoverybf a signar ture of Shakespeare in the title leaf of a badly damaged- book sold in a London auction room is announced by Dr. J. QOincy Adams, Director of the Folger. Shakespeare Memorial Library, Washington. Only six specimens were previously known. ,-• . ; : Among the unspecified , volumes accompanying a> book which the;library bought at Sotheby’s ip ÜB?s ; was a copy of Lambarde’s. Arkaionomia, dated 1568' Inside the front vellum cover.was written the seemingly irrelevant note: “Mr. Wm.. Shakespeare Jived at :Numher 1, Little' Crown Street, Westminster/ ' N.B. 'neat Dorset Steps, St. Janies Park.’* • < ? .-u: •
' “This was interesting,”, writes Dr. Adams, in the John «yiand’s-Library bulletin,'“as there was ho previous record of Shakespeare havms lodged in Westminster. ‘ Efforts' to discover the reason for the note failed, and it was dismissed as. curious; but ! without significance. “The Ljbrary' binder was then instructed to iron out the;crumpled title leaf before depositing ;the. volume in tiie stacks. .When doing so he revealed the. signature : *Wm, Sbakespere/ which had before been - concealed by. numerous tiny wrinkles caused by w a ter. • *"• ■ , “The bioder called-attention to the signature, which .: was scrutinised under - ultra-violet and; infra-red; light. It was also .compared With; thgjrther six known signatures of ■Shakespeare. it&S£in| £genuine signature*bf ‘tiiepoot. ; . ■ “Experts of the United States Archives /then subjected the signature toseghaustive^mjwrdScopic,-chemical,-photographic,.. and, other-tests. After several months they, reported that, after applying , all 'known tests, they could discover ho evidence that it was not a genuine signature of Shakespeare. ‘ "It Would be a pleasant guess that Lambarde presented the Volume .to Shakespeare, who was familiar with his Eirenarcha,’’ .Dr. Adams comments.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19431101.2.29
Bibliographic details
Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24093, 1 November 1943, Page 3
Word Count
276SIGNATURE OF SHAKESPEARE Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24093, 1 November 1943, Page 3
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