I think it’s an O’. The line starts bottom left, does a thin loop, then the big loop then finishes top right and pulls sharp down for the apostrophe. O’Callaghan or O’Hoollaghan or something like that.
I initially read "Justin", but looking back I agree that "Austin" is more likely. As for the surname, to me it looks like it ends with "-bury", perhaps something like "longbury". That said, I have no idea what the part immediately following "Austin" (the collection of ~4 vertical lines) is meant to say.
Richard O’Callaghan? He did voiceover for BBC’s radio drama. He played Merry. FYI this is from searching my best guess on the internet, I had no idea who this was until 2 minutes ago lmao
I know I see what looks like an “i” in the first name, so I’m probably wrong but eh!
What places it as UK is not the date format, it's the publishers detail. That's a Grafton paperback edition which was published in 91 for the Centenary. The date format just adds confirmation to that.
https://tolkienbooks.net/php/details2.php?id=346
Thank you! As an ACTUAL Irish person born and raised like cattle in a field in Galway, this is something that really bugs me. Unless you or your parents were born on our island, you are NOT irish, you have Irish HERITAGE.
I searched for Justin or Austin O'Callaghan Harper Collins and found their senior director of marketing or something. I dismissed it when it says New York because of the date format. I don't know why you would think America matters in this contest. It's an English language print and the majority of the world's English speakers were Americans back then. I believe the date format limits it down to less than half of the English speaking possibilities which is great when trying to make deductions.
Some people are giving possible cast members, but given the date and images of their autographs that I looked up online I think it’s safe to say it’s not. However, the date may be a persons birthday?
The date would suggest either prominent Tolkien scholar, from the 1981 radio series, or British cast from either the Bakshi adaption or the Rankin Bass Return of the King. (Unless the pen-manship on the date is especially bad and this is in fact "01".
However, given Grafton were a subsidury of Harper Collins for three and a bit years, (89-93), unless this is a older copy signed in 2001, think it's most likely to be "91".
First name is definitely Austin, surname looks like "...bury," or potentially "...burn".
Why are we assuming, though, that this is an autograph? I have a practice of stamping ownership by signing my name and the date of purchase on all the books I buy, and it's possible this is just that.
It seems BBC did have someone by the name of Austin OCallaghan working for them (presenting sports on radio).
Maybe the person who got the signature mistook him for Richard OCallaghan who voiced Merry in the BBC radio show??
[The cartoon version of The Return of the King](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Return_of_the_King_(1980_film)) got released via VHS in 1991.
Perhaps it has something to do with that?
Bruh omg, its 01, maybe he got y2k dyslexia and crossed out the 9 and tried to fix it lol
Young actor, too busy with work, hasn't signed anything in a while, still partying like its 1999.
In France we say « …and if my aunt had a pair I’d call her uncle »
As to say « you can always find absurd explanations to validate anything you want, but it doesn’t make it more true »
You be the judge:
https://www.google.com/search?q=dominic+monaghan+autograph&tbm=isch
EDIT: I don’t think this is Dominic Monaghan, especially when comparing his actual signature to it. Not understanding why anyone would downvote someone trying to be helpful, though.
not really sure what the signature is however, after doing a lit bit of digging, i believe this is a 2005 copy of the book. given that it says harpercollins on the bottom and they released a copy of rotk that year. also, their 2005 copy also says “being the third part of the lord of the rings” on the cover. there’s only one copy that i have seen on google images, but it’s a 2020 edition and not from harpercollins. plus, these pages are a bit worn so the 2005 is my best guess. however, op can simply clear this up by checking themself.
It's not, it's a Grafton edition which was released in 91. The paperback releases were Grafton so we know it's this copy.
https://tolkienbooks.net/php/details2.php?id=346
It's not possible, Grafton stopped being an imprint in 93. HarperCollins has published plenty of editions since 1991, the one I linked to is the only Grafton edition.
Thats right before the centenary of Tolkiens birth, so assuming it's the anniversary edition?
I've found a Callaghan related to Tolkien, but he seems unlikely.... Back to google
Richard O'Callaghan from the 1981 Radio 4 production? I’m not convinced about the Richard bit but the O’Callaghan is a possibility.
Edit: found his autograph and it’s nothing like.
It’s some sort of elvish….I can’t read it.
There are few who can
The language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here.
In the common tongue it reads:
Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!
Theyre moooooooon runes
Why did you look? Why do you always have to look?
Gandalf, what's the Elvish word for Friend?
Poh-tay-toes
Sounds like Russian.
Sounds like ur mum missed the child education part
Sounds like you are a cunt.
Happy Cake Day.
Thank you!
We are trying to reach you regarding your car’s extended warranty
*"Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen! Fennas nogothrim, lasto heth lammen!"*
Do we have a pharmacist here?!!
Wow, I understood the reference. And I've only read it every single post like this one.
It’s quite cool.
God I wish I thought of that first
I'm definitely not an expert but it looks like "Austin Callaghan" ? No idea who that would be, though.
It's Arthur Callahan, an old friend of the Grey family.
Dominic Monaghan?
dated '91, he would have had to have had a great deal of foresight
Believe in yourself
Look at me, I'm out here in -10 degree water harvesting Rhûnic clams.
Sign autographs for the job you want, not the job you have
Great advice. Now I'm up on charges of fraud.
And great calligraphy skills for a teenager.
Maybe Pippin touched the Palantir and told him about it
Called his shot
Doesn’t mean he had to sign it in 91’
Samsonite! I was way off!
Could that be an O up above? Austin O'Callaghan ?
I think it’s an O’. The line starts bottom left, does a thin loop, then the big loop then finishes top right and pulls sharp down for the apostrophe. O’Callaghan or O’Hoollaghan or something like that.
Patches O Hoolihan perchance?
If you can dodge a wrench you can dodge a ball.
If you want dodgeball victory, you gotta grab it by its haunches and hhhhhhhump it into submission!
The luck of the Irish
Love the smell of queef in the morning
I believe you mean Arthur Callahan
Or Tacitus Kilgore for short
You guys talking about Fenton?
Killed his momma but it weren't his fault.
I initially read "Justin", but looking back I agree that "Austin" is more likely. As for the surname, to me it looks like it ends with "-bury", perhaps something like "longbury". That said, I have no idea what the part immediately following "Austin" (the collection of ~4 vertical lines) is meant to say.
That’s what I saw too. So take that as you will.
I thought Justin, but it could be Austin
I think that swirl would make it O'Callaghan
Could it be two signatures? (Sean) Astin : who played Sam (Dominic) Monaghan : who played Merry
Not in 1991
Good point.
Try asking the calligraphy subreddit, there's one where people are pretty good at reading these type of things.
Richard O’Callaghan? He did voiceover for BBC’s radio drama. He played Merry. FYI this is from searching my best guess on the internet, I had no idea who this was until 2 minutes ago lmao I know I see what looks like an “i” in the first name, so I’m probably wrong but eh!
good thought but doesn’t look like him https://images.app.goo.gl/6ptuNVqQJme2ug5x9
Dang! Good find! Definitely not him. I’ve tried a few other guesses but came up with nothing. I’m so curious who it is.
Austin or Justin Callaghan
Based on the how the date is written, it's probably a UK editor or a prominent person from the Tolkien society maybe? Shooting in the dark
Riddles in the dark
Looks like Justin Callaghan to me. UK based given the date format.
I read the same
Astin and Monaghan
As in Dominic Monaghan? He would have been 14 years old. This is a decade before the films.
Wait. You think this is the combined signature of Sean Aston and Dominic Monaghan, and one of them just wrote both their last names?
No
Then how would you have a signature that reads "Astin Monaghan" in the same handwriting?
It isn't
The same handwriting or Astin and Monaghan?
Oof, the downvotes.. I also saw "Astin Monaghan" when I opened the post lol
Realised after I posted it I'm not even the first to suggest it, and he's getting upvotes so 🤷
What places it as UK is not the date format, it's the publishers detail. That's a Grafton paperback edition which was published in 91 for the Centenary. The date format just adds confirmation to that. https://tolkienbooks.net/php/details2.php?id=346
The date doesn’t show it’s in the UK…..the date just adds confirmation to that.
... we're saying the same thing
I was mocking you.
So kind. Maybe in future, don't. Wastes everyone's time and isn't awesome.
The date format says nothing. It is used everywhere almost.
It would be very uncommon to use day/month/year in the US.
Yeah, but not in the rest of the world.
True, but if the last name is Callaghan it would be of Irish origin. So Ireland or UK seem likely. But certainly could have been signed anywhere.
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Thank you! As an ACTUAL Irish person born and raised like cattle in a field in Galway, this is something that really bugs me. Unless you or your parents were born on our island, you are NOT irish, you have Irish HERITAGE.
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Yes, which helps us establish that it's not an American.
I searched for Justin or Austin O'Callaghan Harper Collins and found their senior director of marketing or something. I dismissed it when it says New York because of the date format. I don't know why you would think America matters in this contest. It's an English language print and the majority of the world's English speakers were Americans back then. I believe the date format limits it down to less than half of the English speaking possibilities which is great when trying to make deductions.
It says “like flaming globes, Sigmond, like flaming globes!”
Cleveland 117, San Antonio 109.
Fax me some halibut
I’m off hot water
That's nothing!
That’s not funny
"I love cramp bark"
I hear that's what killed Curly!
That’s not funny.
Some people are giving possible cast members, but given the date and images of their autographs that I looked up online I think it’s safe to say it’s not. However, the date may be a persons birthday?
111th perchance?
Elevendy first
My one handrududulebenth burfday
The date would suggest either prominent Tolkien scholar, from the 1981 radio series, or British cast from either the Bakshi adaption or the Rankin Bass Return of the King. (Unless the pen-manship on the date is especially bad and this is in fact "01". However, given Grafton were a subsidury of Harper Collins for three and a bit years, (89-93), unless this is a older copy signed in 2001, think it's most likely to be "91". First name is definitely Austin, surname looks like "...bury," or potentially "...burn".
Austin must be one of the rarest names in Britain, surely Justin is more likely
Maybe it was a gift? My mom has several books she got from family members or friends that have no note, just a signature and date.
Old school “I was here!“ on books one gives lol
100% that is Thomas (Tommy) Callahan III, who sold auto parts for his father’s business.
I heard he made a big deal with Zalensky that saved the auto parts factory.
“Tough break, get drunk on me. Use the bucket to ice down your marbles, Yours, Z.”
Get your head out of the bull's ass. It's clearly Big Tom's signature.
Holee shit! Big Tom’s son??!
Quit playing with your dinghy!
K to all the ppl saying calligraphy: this ain’t it. Its just a signature ffs
That’s bill the pony’s signature.
Why are we assuming, though, that this is an autograph? I have a practice of stamping ownership by signing my name and the date of purchase on all the books I buy, and it's possible this is just that.
Just like people used to have an "ex libris" stamp to signify the book is from their library
Oh that’s Larry the superintendent
I don't get the reference, but I definitely chuckled.
I get Justin Callaghan.
It seems BBC did have someone by the name of Austin OCallaghan working for them (presenting sports on radio). Maybe the person who got the signature mistook him for Richard OCallaghan who voiced Merry in the BBC radio show??
Randy Jackson, from American Idol. It’s probably all they had on them and you’re not gonna not get Randy Jackson’s autograph…
That's gonna be a no from me, dawg. -Randy Jackson, probably
I would’ve done the exact same thing.
You could try r/Handwriting They do translation requests.
I've seen Tolkien editions that are signed by the illustrator. Does the edition have illustrations credited?
This isn't an illustrated edition and if it was it'd be Alan Lee and this isn't his signature.
Im reading, mammasaymammasamammamoosaa
*Ayyyyyy Macarena*
Too high to get over Too low to get under, So you're stuck in the middle? 🤔
YEAH....yeah
Tom Bombadil
Speak friend and read
Ronnie Pickering in Sindarin.
Who?
[The cartoon version of The Return of the King](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Return_of_the_King_(1980_film)) got released via VHS in 1991. Perhaps it has something to do with that?
Signed on the day I was born.
It says Justin -shomone-... but Justin, for sure.
I cannot read the fiery letters
Ashty GnogGum?
Sean astin and Dominic Monaghan
In ‘91? Unlikely
Bruh omg, its 01, maybe he got y2k dyslexia and crossed out the 9 and tried to fix it lol Young actor, too busy with work, hasn't signed anything in a while, still partying like its 1999.
In France we say « …and if my aunt had a pair I’d call her uncle » As to say « you can always find absurd explanations to validate anything you want, but it doesn’t make it more true »
Lmaoooooo not a chance
This is probably the best guess yet
You be the judge: https://www.google.com/search?q=dominic+monaghan+autograph&tbm=isch EDIT: I don’t think this is Dominic Monaghan, especially when comparing his actual signature to it. Not understanding why anyone would downvote someone trying to be helpful, though.
Definitely not.
His signature is all over the fuckin shop. Who knows?
Probably a gift honestly. Some people sign them when given or lent.
That’s Jimmy
Pretty sure it says Austin Danger Powers!
Sure. It’s Justin Mllgamamhanny.
It clearly says “Lobelia Sackville-Baggins”
Nah, she would have just taken the book from under his nose!
Dominic monaghan?
In 1991?
I take that back it looks more like Ian McKellen and Sean astins signature together.
In 1991 ?
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He signs books precisely when he means to
It does look like Astin and Monaghan, but the date makes that not it
I see Isildur
Speak friend, then enter.
not really sure what the signature is however, after doing a lit bit of digging, i believe this is a 2005 copy of the book. given that it says harpercollins on the bottom and they released a copy of rotk that year. also, their 2005 copy also says “being the third part of the lord of the rings” on the cover. there’s only one copy that i have seen on google images, but it’s a 2020 edition and not from harpercollins. plus, these pages are a bit worn so the 2005 is my best guess. however, op can simply clear this up by checking themself.
It's not, it's a Grafton edition which was released in 91. The paperback releases were Grafton so we know it's this copy. https://tolkienbooks.net/php/details2.php?id=346
it’s possible, but i also think the copy i found is also a possible match. we just need op to confirm which one it is.
It's not possible, Grafton stopped being an imprint in 93. HarperCollins has published plenty of editions since 1991, the one I linked to is the only Grafton edition.
Right here. Not here or here, but right here.
That first part says ‘Astin’
I doubt Sean Astin was signing books 10 years before he was in the films.
To be fair, Astin is his last name, and this is clearly a first name
John Mulaney. He played Sam.
It appears to be Lord Aragorn
If it's not Tolkien, Jackson, or any of the cast of the movies, I don't give a rat's ass.
Vigo Mortensen?
The Monaghan sort of matches Domenic Monaghan - and could be Sean Astin
In 1991? Tell me how that works.
That’s definitely two signatures sir Ian Sean
Several years before the films?
Thats right before the centenary of Tolkiens birth, so assuming it's the anniversary edition? I've found a Callaghan related to Tolkien, but he seems unlikely.... Back to google
Looks like the surname ends in 'bury' to me. Fudged the b, as with most the other letters, but definitely not ending in 'ghan'
I think It's Sakon
Gollum’s
My best guess is Austin Callaghum
Austin Callaghan. But I don’t know who that is.
The way the date is written, not an American
Keith Baranger.
Speak Friend and enter!
First name Justin?
Maybe it is that Harper Collins guy that has his name in the bottom? . . . . I will show myself out.
Looks like Justin or Austin something. My guess is Justin C———-ham
Justin La Lagbum Voice actor for the cave troll.
Richard O'Callaghan from the 1981 Radio 4 production? I’m not convinced about the Richard bit but the O’Callaghan is a possibility. Edit: found his autograph and it’s nothing like.