Reference Autographs & Signatures

The authenticity of signed books and signatures in particular is the number one element of the trust a reputable seller of autographed books is hoping to establish and maintain with their customer.

We are proud to offer the tabled author signatures, obtained in controlled environments*, to assist in the authentication process of signed books:

* In this Reference Autographs and Signatures section only those signatures are displayed that were obtained in controlled environments from authors and illustrators in our focus areas, only this way we can come as close as possible to a reference signature you might consult for authentication or comparison.

Autographs obtained in controlled environments, i.e., in person or directly from the author's agents or publishers or from agents of Books Tell You Why at non-public signing events or issued by the publisher as signed (often limited) editions are the preferred sources of signed books.

Where this is not possible, e.g., for signed out-of-print trade editions from deceased writers, intensive analysis and comparison of autographs with other items signed by the author and/or additional hand-written documentation reputable sellers only select those items into their portfolio for which we they can confidently issue a life-long guarantee of authenticity.

While mostly maintaining their key characteristics, handwriting and signatures change and develop over time. Autographs provided in signing events can be rushed and can show substantial differences compared with the individual's signature.

While we guarantee the authenticity of ALL of our signed books, the usage of signatures obtained in non-controlled environments as a sole source for authentication is not recommended, as a consequence those signatures are not included in our reference section.

**Available books displayed when clicking above links might also be in un-signed condition