NEWS – April / May 2026
Manuscript – Autograph Auction 75 is now ‘online’
Date of Sale: Saturday May 9, 2026
The 75th Autograph Auction by Manuscript, Rotterdam is now ‘open for bids’. This auction with 411 lots offers a broad scope of autographs, especially in the categories ‘Politics and History’ and ‘Music’. One can find signed Christmas cards, signed by former Dutch Queens Beatrix (lots 004-008) and Juliana (lots 038-044) ‘under the hammer’. Also, documents signed by Queen Wilhelmina are available (076-079), as well as a signed photo (SP) by Dutch Royal pair Willem-Alexander and Maxima (079). The Belgian Royal family is presented by SP’s of Albert and Paola (001), Baudouin and Fabiola (003) and Philippe and Mathilde (059). Bids are welcome on three SP’s of US-Presidents Carter (011), Clinton (014) and Reagan (066) as well. Some collections of SP’s of Dutch politicians (062-064) are up for auction and bid scan be entered on a lot with SP’s of Polish politicians (061).
In the chapter Sciences you will find two SP’s of biologist and chimpanzee-researcher Jane Goodall (089-090) open for bids. This category also contains three lots with autographs by winners of the Nobel Prize for Economics (093-095). Under Music one can find several autographs by musicians from the early years of the British ‘beat’-era, with groups as The Equals (138), The Fortunes (149), The Move (189) and The Who (236). LP’s and books with signatures of ‘big names’ from the ‘pop’/’rock’-scene are up for auction, such as The Hollies (156), Lovin’ Spoonfull (172) and The Spencer Davis Group (218). The SP of Bob Marley (176) will likely attract interest of collectors. Classical music one can find in lots with signatures of pianists (120) and a handwritten report signed by i.a. composer Leos Janacek (161), and also ‘ballet’ is presented in this category (102 and 105).
In the chapter Literature a collection of Dutch writers and poets is up for auction (266). In this ‘catalogue’ there are also several autographs by French writers, like a Coppée (256) and Duhamel (259) and signed information bulletins from a literary festival in Rotterdam, such as Walcott and Brodsky (254), and Shiraishi (271). In the category The Arts one can find autographs by artists like Christo (277-278) and Anton Pieck (285).
The passing of Brigitte Bardot end 2025 is commemorated by the influx from collectors of 8 SP’s of ‘B.B.’ (292-299) in the chapter Film and Theatre. The signed photo of the cast of ‘All in the Family’ (290) is notable, like the ‘still’ of the film ‘Klute’ (342) and a SP by Carrie Fisher (322). Under Sports one can find a SP of Johan Cruijff (385) and a program booklet full of signatures of Norwegian football-players from 1972 (391). A Surprise Box under Varia is the last lot (411).
By the way, did I mention Madonna (173), Paul McCartney (181), the Eurovision Song Contest (139-141), Taylor Swift (226), Kate Perry (198), Jack Nicholson (359) and Maradona (397)?
Upon request I am happy to send you scans of autographs of interest to you. I hope you will enjoy browsing through the ‘catalogue’ on the website!
Bids are welcome until the Date of Sale of the Autograph Auction:
Saturday May 9, 2026 – 24.00 hrs.
Auctioneer,
Paul van Schaijk
