Fireside Poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. Signed Cut PSA 8 Auto
Fireside Poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. Signed Cut PSA 8 Auto
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Title: Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. Signed Cut – Dated January 21, 1885 – PSA/DNA Certified Auto Grade NM-MT 8
Description:
Offered is a refined and well-preserved cut signature of Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., signed in full as "Oliver Wendell Holmes" and dated beneath as "Boston Jan. 21st 1885." Executed in neat, flowing brown ink on a clean cream-toned card, the autograph displays excellent clarity and composition. The piece is authenticated and slabbed by PSA/DNA, earning a Near Mint-Mint 8 autograph grade.
Historical Context:
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809–1894) was a celebrated physician, poet, and essayist, regarded as one of the most influential literary voices of 19th-century America. A member of the esteemed Fireside Poets, he gained national recognition for works like The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table and the patriotic poem Old Ironsides, which helped save the USS Constitution from being scrapped. Holmes was also a professor at Harvard Medical School and a vocal advocate for medical reform and public health. This autograph, dated 1885, comes from the twilight years of his career, a time when he was revered both as a literary figure and scientific thinker. He was also the father of Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., further securing his legacy in American intellectual and civic life.
Authentication & Encapsulation:
Certified by PSA/DNA, the premier authority in autograph authentication, the signature is sealed in a tamper-proof holder with the label:
"CUT – OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES SR. – PSA/DNA CERTIFIED – AUTO GRADE NM-MT 8"
Certification number: 85481266.
Closing Appeal:
This dated and beautifully preserved signature of Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. offers collectors a direct link to one of the most respected minds of 19th-century American literature and medicine. With its high PSA grade and literary provenance, it is an ideal acquisition for those focused on American poetry, intellectual history, or cultural heritage.
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