Of later mural tablets we need say but little, for there is hardly a cathedral or parish church in the kingdom which is not the proud possessor of one or more specimens. As a rule, these memorials point to the valorous deeds which soldiers of the neighbourhood have performed for their King and country. The South African War, it will be remembered, added considerably to their number, whilst the conflict now raging has already made its contributions.
CHAPTER XIII
AUTOGRAPHS OF GREAT SOLDIERS
The fascinations of autograph collecting—Points which influence the value of an autograph—Autographs classified—A "Schomberg" letter—The notes scribbled by Airey at Balaklava—General hints—Prices of autographs
Ninety-nine out of every hundred autographs which find their way into collectors' albums are said to be those of actresses, who are popular favourites to-day but not to-morrow. As a consequence, autograph collecting is seldom considered a serious hobby worthy of the attention of serious-minded people. This seems a great pity, for if letters and documents written and signed by real celebrities are collected, not only may much pleasure be gained from the pastime, but a great deal of instruction as well.
The wise collector will find that his best plan is to specialize in one definite direction, and if he follows our advice he will limit his interests to autographs of great soldiers. Perhaps he will argue that military signatures are so seldom met with, and so expensive to obtain when they are offered for sale, that his treasures will not accumulate fast enough. This, however, is a matter on which he need have no fears, especially now that the great European conflict has created so vast an output of military correspondence.
The value of an autograph naturally depends on a number of factors. The eminence of the writer is, of course, the first consideration, but the price will also depend on whether the signature is normally written, whether it was written before notoriety came to the writer, and the state of preservation of both paper and ink. Can the celebrity be considered a prolific letter-writer? This is another question which influences the value of an autograph, for according to the rarity of an individual's signatures, so will the price be affected.
We say, above, that the eminence of a writer is the first consideration in deciding the value of his signature. We should be very diffident, however, at explaining just what factors make for eminence. It certainly is not rank alone, nor even ability; perhaps we may best describe it as being in the "public eye."
The autograph-hunter does not seek for signatures alone: he casts around for entire letters, documents, and signed papers of every description; it is thus clear that the importance of the communication plus the autograph should be taken into account when pricing treasures.