Autograph

Quality 0.50 · 1 view · Updated 2 months ago

Personal signature

title: "Autograph" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["manuscripts", "signature"] description: "Personal signature" topic_path: "technology/cryptography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autograph" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Personal signature ::

::callout[type=note]

::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/B-a-c-h_Reger.jpg" caption="0-87779-206-2}}"] ::

  • a manuscript written by the author of its content. In this meaning the term autograph can often be used interchangeably with holograph.
  • a celebrity's handwritten signature. Autograph collecting is the activity of collecting such autographs.

History

What might be considered the oldest "autograph" is a Sumerian clay table from about 3100 BC which includes the name of the scribe Gar.Ama. No ancient written autographs have been found, and the earliest one known for a major historical figure is that of El Cid from 1098.

Autograph manuscript

Main article: Autograph (manuscript)

"Autograph" can refer to a document transcribed entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by an amanuensis or a copyist. This meaning overlaps that of "holograph".

Celebrity's signature

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Franzl_Lang.jpg" caption="Picture of German yodeler [[Franzl Lang]], autograph (likely for a fan's collection) at bottom."] ::

Main article: Autograph collecting

Autograph collecting is the hobby of collecting autographs of famous persons. Some of the most popular categories of autograph subjects are presidents, military soldiers, athletes, movie stars, artists, social and religious leaders, scientists, astronauts, and authors.

References

References

  1. {{Cite EB1911. Edward Maunde. Thompson
  2. (2016). "The Routledge Research Companion to Johann Sebastian Bach". Taylor & Francis.
  3. Fletcher, Richard A.. (1 January 1989). "The Quest for El Cid". Oxford University Press.
  4. "Collection: Autograph Collection {{!}} USF Libraries - Tampa Special Collections ArchivesSpace".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

manuscriptssignature