I spent two years of my government career in a US Consulate General as the principal visa issuing officer. This included having my signature immortalized in a metal plate that would be inserted into the visa stamping machine we used. The person who collected the copy of my signature recommended against providing one of those classically beautiful examples of cursive penmanship and encouraged me to scrawl instead. They said such a supply signature was harder for forgets to copy. My sights never recovered.
I think signatures are here to stay. The age of signatures is not yet behind us. With digitization it's even more important. But I agree with you 💯 crafting one's personal signature is quite the task. 😂
Not sure about other places, but in Japan, “official” documents have to be “signed” with an inkan, your personal seal. These are little hand-engraved or manufactured items that have your name in Japanese characters. I’ve been told it’s because signatures are easy to replicate, but personal seals are not. Banks, in particular, require an inkan most of the time. If you lose it, when you get a new one, you can go to the bank, and with your ID (driver’s license, etc.) you can register the new one.
I hadn't given this much thought but it's fascinating. I certainly practiced my signature over and over as an adolescent before I ever actually needed to sign anything formal, and in fact changed it in (I guess?) my late teens: I'd previously signed "E.D. Wilson", but the two initial capitals didn't work in my handwriting, as I eventually acknowledged, so I adopted "Eliot Wilson", which flowed more easily. I rarely have to sign anything official now, though when I worked in the House of Commons, there were still (diminishing) occasions on which documents would be initialled, which gave the fun game of "What are your colleagues' middle names?", at which I was quite good.
One of my favourites remains that of Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone:
I am one of those who uses his full first name, middle initial, and last name in his signature. My father used to say something like, "Make sure people know who is putting his name on the line."
I spent two years of my government career in a US Consulate General as the principal visa issuing officer. This included having my signature immortalized in a metal plate that would be inserted into the visa stamping machine we used. The person who collected the copy of my signature recommended against providing one of those classically beautiful examples of cursive penmanship and encouraged me to scrawl instead. They said such a supply signature was harder for forgets to copy. My sights never recovered.
Your point about repeatability is very interesting. Our signatures probably say more about us than we’d like to admit!
I think signatures are here to stay. The age of signatures is not yet behind us. With digitization it's even more important. But I agree with you 💯 crafting one's personal signature is quite the task. 😂
How interesting!
Not sure about other places, but in Japan, “official” documents have to be “signed” with an inkan, your personal seal. These are little hand-engraved or manufactured items that have your name in Japanese characters. I’ve been told it’s because signatures are easy to replicate, but personal seals are not. Banks, in particular, require an inkan most of the time. If you lose it, when you get a new one, you can go to the bank, and with your ID (driver’s license, etc.) you can register the new one.
Cultures are fascinating!
I hadn't given this much thought but it's fascinating. I certainly practiced my signature over and over as an adolescent before I ever actually needed to sign anything formal, and in fact changed it in (I guess?) my late teens: I'd previously signed "E.D. Wilson", but the two initial capitals didn't work in my handwriting, as I eventually acknowledged, so I adopted "Eliot Wilson", which flowed more easily. I rarely have to sign anything official now, though when I worked in the House of Commons, there were still (diminishing) occasions on which documents would be initialled, which gave the fun game of "What are your colleagues' middle names?", at which I was quite good.
One of my favourites remains that of Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone:
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/signed/Signature-HAILSHAM-Quintin-Hogg-Lord-Marylebone/1502837187/bd
I am one of those who uses his full first name, middle initial, and last name in his signature. My father used to say something like, "Make sure people know who is putting his name on the line."
He definitely had a point!
Loved the story about Chaloner and Isaac Newton, that alone made the entire article worth reading and was new knowledge to me! Thank you!
Very interesting!!! I am grateful to have discovered this community. 💜
Oh, thank you so much!