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Hi All,
First time poster here. I recently came across a book called, "Companion Autographs." It bears a publication date of 1877, and appears to be an autograph book half full of facsimile autographs/famous passages by well known names (of the time at least) and half empty, presumably for the owner to fill with his/her own autograph collection.
I recently listed it on eBay before doing much research on it (tisk tisk, I know). Does anyone know anything about this book, or has anyone come across one before? I don't know the forum policy on linking eBay auctions, so I'll refrain. I've attached a few pics of the book to this post.
Thanks for your time and any information you have would be most appreciated.
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Thanks guys. @James: Yeah, I didn't want to throw up an eBay link and make the thread look like a shameless bit of self-promotion. This book came from a recently departed family member's estate, and I'm just trying to figure out more about it. Collecting autographs does indeed seem to be an old hobby. I wonder if a study has ever been done to determine just how far back it goes?
That's a great story James! If only your grandparents had known to ask for an autograph, you might be living large today! That's a really cool family story, that I hope gets passed along.
There were people that always collected autographs almost from the beginning I think. What created "modern" autograph collecting was the Civil War. The introduction of the carte-de-viste (CDV) as a way to cheaply mass produce photographs allowed people to get signed photographs of military, political and entertainment figures. After the Civil War people would write to Robert E. Lee and U. S. Grant and receive "autographs." I suspect this is when through the mail (TTM) autographs really took off. Later larger cabinet style photographs were popular to get signed especially of political leaders. I always consider the Civil War as the advent of modern autograph collecting.
I suppose you could argue that something similar was happening over the pond in the propaganda wars waged by the Roundheads and Cavaliers before they beheaded Charles 1 where 'images' of the principal participants were collected.
I have seen this book or at least one just like it about 30 years ago. A friend of mine showed it to me and I know it had Edgar Allan Poe in it. The reproductions in it are really good. Not sure how many were made but autograph books were very common at that period of time.
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