The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-11-16

Kipling letter referring to his writ
ings is worth 2 guineas, an ordinary
epistle Of the same writer would be
sold at 1-2 a guinea. The signature
of Queen Alexandra can be bought
for guinea, but attached to let
ter written in her girlhood days would
fetch FIVE and propably ten times
that amount.
Here. are few Of the market
prices, so to speak, Of other eelebri-
ties: Sir L. Alma-Tadema, los. 3d.,
Sir Squire Bancroft, Sc. 3d.; J. NJ.
Barrie, 5s.; Max Beerbohm, los. Cd. !;
Sarah Bernhardt, l pound 5s.; Mr..
Birrell, Is. 3d.; Miss Bfaddon, IS. !;
Hall Caine, los. 3d.. Mark Twain, 2
pounds >2s.; Sir A. Conan Doyle, Is.
3d.; Sir W. S. Gilbert, 5s.; Rider
Haggard, As; and Sir Charles Wynd-
ham, 5s. =. .~.:~ -.
With regara:4o famous men Of the
past it is interesting, to note that,
while 63 pounds was asked for a
'Tennyson>ietter, a Byron: was only
priced at :18 guineas, and, a CoWper
at 10 guineas. The latter: amount
would also have bought one of
Pope's, while the signature Of Sir
Walter Scott was valued at Is gum
cas-. Twenty-one pounds would have
bought the signature Of George
Washington, and II pounds that of
Queen Victoria. Thirteen and IA
guineas was asked for the autographs
respectively of Dickens and Thaeker-
ay, while that Of Edward Fitzgerald
J was priced at q pounds.
Mention Of the autograph Of Geo.
Washington reminds one that accord
ing to a New York dealer one Of the
rarest American autographs is that
Of Thomas Lynch, Jr., who signed
the Declaration Of Independence as
proxy for his father, who was i'll at
the time. Soon after, young Tom
Lynch went to sea, and was never
heard Of again. Autographs Of dec
laration signers are much sought af-
ter by collectors, and the dealer re-
ferred to bought one affixed to a
letter addressed by Lynch to George
Washington for 800 pounds and sold
it to Augustin DAILY for 900 pounds.
DAILY sold it, and ultimately repur-
chased it for just over $1,000, even
tually presenting it to the Lenox il
brary, where it now is.
Itais curious to note how variable
are the prices Of royal signatures.
While, as already MENTIONED. II
pounds is asked for Queen Victoria
letter, a t~o-page epistle by the late
Empress Frederick of Germany only
realized a guinea. The sign-manual
Of George I has been sold for 2s.,
that of George III for 1 pound 6s.,
and that Of George w for 11s.; and
lit is an interesting fact that, while at
one sale letter from Charles to
the Earl of Kingston, dealing with
the request for a loan Of $4,000, only
fetched 81 pounds 1Os., Cromwell s
signature went for 80 pounds.
There are many persons who col
lect series Of signatures. Some pre-
fer those Of artists, musical celebri-
ties, politicians and so on.
A remarkable collection was that
which came into the possession Of a
London bookseller two years ago, con
sisting Of parliamentary franks
or postpaid letters. Previous to the
! introduction Of the penny post mem
bers of both houses of parliament
had the privilege of franking or
causing the free delivery Of the let
ters Of themselves and their friends.
Thus many thousands Of envelopes
passed through the post signed in the
left-hand bottom corner with the
name Of a member of the house Of
lords or columns. An enterprising
gentleman succeeded in accumulating
10000 of these franks, probably the
greatest collection of autographs Of
members of parliament ever made.
One Of the most curious collections
of autographs is that possessed by a
celebrated London firm of hatters,
who number royalty amongst their
customers. On the back Of the card
board "shapes" from which hat is
modelled is written the name OF the
customer, his address, the date of the
order, and other particulars. The
person ordering the hat in most cases
writes his own name, and in this way
the firm have secured the signatures
of many illustrious personages.