AN ARTICLE ABOUT AUTOGRAPHS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIV, Issue XXI, 25 May 1895, Page 497

AN ARTICLE ABOUT AUTOGRAPHS.

A legend is current in certain commercial circles concerning a city merchant who wrote three different signatures. One of these autographs was only understood by himself, the second could only be unravelled by his secretary, while the third was a dark and inscrutable mystery to both of them, and to everyone else as well.

Mr Henry Irving writes a sinuous, gladiolated hand, which has often puzzled and perplexed his correspondents, and sometimes mystifies even his most intimate friends. Some time since a friend asked him for seats for his family to witness the play of Henry VIII. Mr Irving, in response to this request, scrawled across half a sheet of note-paper the words, ' Lyceum Theatre, Private Box. etc.’ In the afternoon the gentleman had occasion to send to the chemist’s a prescription for influenza, and, by some mistake, the note from Mr Henry Irving was sent instead. But the chemist was not to be beaten, and a bottle of medicine was duly returned with the theatre-pass carefully enclosed. This story will be readily believed by anyone who has seen Irving handwriting. But it seems to matter but little whether a man’s signature be legible or otherwise so long as his name and fame be notorious. This being the case, his autograph will be sought after and prized by those ardent folk who deal in such things, and that such a business is profitable as well as pleasureable the following authentic details amply prove : — Mr Gladstone is of opinion that Milton was the first author to sell a manuscript. He received Z 5 for it. It’s title was ‘ Paradise Lost.’ la wondrous contrast to this was the sale of a number of Tennyson’s autograph MS. poems in 1889. The MS. of his popular poem ' Maud ’ realised the sum of/111. ‘The Brook ’ changed hands for Z5 l ; ‘ Dedication of Poems to the Queen,’ with a noteat the end to John Moxon. Z3O; ’The Daisy,’ Z 24 ios ; ‘ Stanzas Addressed to Rev. H. D. Maurice,’ Z 23 ; and ’The Letters,’ Z’iB 10s. At an auction in New York a year ago, Poe’s manuscript of * The Bells,’ was put up for disposal, and brought in the sum of Z 4- At a sale in Paris in 1892, the autograph of Bismarck realised the sum of Z 4 ios ; the signiture of Ring Humbert of Italybrought Z'l 5s into the exchequer. A beautifully clear letter and signature of the late Czar of Russia were handed over for Z - A signature of H.R H. the Prince of Wales brought in 18s ; while that of President Carnot realised 15s. Turning for a moment to the celebrities of the past, it is interesting to note that the signature of Queen Elizabeth is now worth Z >5 ; while that of Queen Anne will only realise 30s. As a striking contrast to this, it is also a noteworthy fact that poets’ signatures in the past have always been considered more valuable than those of queens and other royal potentates. In the year 1858 a signature of Shakespeare was purchased by the authorities of the British Museum for 300

guineas. The same notable contrast obtains in the present.

In June, 1891, a letter of her Majesty Queen Victoria realised the sum of Z 7 I while a letter written by the poet Shelley changed hands for Z 9 *5 S > and was regarded as a great bargain at such a low figure. A letter of Martin Luther s, with a signature attached, was recently disposed of for the respectable amount of Z 26. This letter of the great reformer was dated 1528, and was in an excellent state of preservation. The quaint, fantastic signature of Queen Elizabeth, attached to a State document on vellum, though seriously damaged by damp, recently sold for Z - Two and a half pages of a letter written and signed by H.R.H. the Duchess of Teck may be secured by the nominal sum of 8s ; whilst the signature alone of the fated Marie Antoinette is considered to be worth Z - I' l Contrast to this, a letter written by Louis XVI..of France, the husband of the unfortunate Marie, is offered for the sum of 10s. Thirtyshillings is the price now demanded for the characteristic signature of the ambitious Napoleon Bonaparte. A single page written by the late Prince Consort is valued at two guineas ; but half that amount will purchase a long letter by our present Prince of Wales. The autograph of H.R.H. the Princess of Wales has recently been sold for the low sum of seven shillings and sixpence, while, strange to relate, an original autograph telegram in the same Royal handwriting is valued at five guineas.