Autograph
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/B-a-c-h_Reger.jpg/300px-B-a-c-h_Reger.jpg)
An autograph is a person's own handwriting or signature. The word autograph comes from Ancient Greek (αὐτός, autós, "self" and γράφω, gráphō, "write"), and can mean more specifically:[1][2]
- a manuscript written by the author of its content.[1][2] In this meaning the term autograph can often be used interchangeably with holograph.[1][3]
- a celebrity's handwritten signature.[2] Autograph collecting is the activity of collecting such autographs.[1]
History
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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.[4] No ancient written autographs have been found, and the earliest one known for a major historical figure is that of El Cid from 1098.[5]
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".[3]
Celebrity's signature
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/JohnHancockSignature.jpg/300px-JohnHancockSignature.jpg)
Autograph collecting is the hobby of collecting autographs of famous persons.[1] 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.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Thompson, Edward Maunde (1911). Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 45–47. . In
- ^ a b c Gove, Philip B. (ed.), 1981. Webster's Third New International Dictionary, p. 147. ISBN 0-87779-206-2
- ^ a b Tomita, Yo (2016). "Autographs, Copies and Original Manuscripts". In Leaver, Robin A. (ed.). The Routledge Research Companion to Johann Sebastian Bach. Taylor & Francis. pp. 52–54. ISBN 9781315452807.
- ^ "The Earliest Autograph Signatures (Circa 3,100 BCE) : HistoryofInformation.com".
- ^ Fletcher, Richard A. (1 January 1989). "The Quest for El Cid". Oxford University Press – via Google Books.
Further reading
- Collecting Autographs and Manuscripts by Charles Hamilton, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1961, 269 pages.
- Autographs and Manuscripts: A Collector's Manual edited by Ed Berkeley, Charles Scribner's Sons Pub., 1978, 565 pages.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- The Autograph at the HathiTrust Digital Library (early 20th-century periodical, full view)