The Royal Dorset Academy's Deep Archive
Mention in a recent Sotherbone's Auction Catalogue of a period in which Professor Thrupiece struggled to find a signature properly representative of his persona and artistic ambitions at the time, has prompted Royal Dorset Academy Archivist Seema Tidy-Drawers to submit the following interesting report on the extensive collection of Thrupiece signatures held in the RDA's archives. Whilst it is well-known to all that the Professor's signature underwent several significant alterations throughout his life [those on his cheques were notably varied and often indecipherable] few will realise that a project to catalogue them all was already in process in 2013 shortly before he disappeared from a Swiss Hotel Room [namely The Hotel Cornarvin] following an accident with a small malfunctioning electrical appliance [namely a Japanese-sourced nasal clipper] [Ed].]
Ms Tidy-Drawers writes:
"A project to catalogue Professor Thrupiece's many and varied signatures was already in process in 2013 shortly before he disappeared from a Swiss Hotel Room. The signatures of famous men [and occasionally women] are a source of profound and ever-lasting interest to many, being, as they are, windows into the personality of their authors. Calligraphers as well as forensic and psychiatric hand-writing experts [sometimes termed graphologists] can read much from a single signature, whilst the study of changes to a signature over time can reveal a great deal about the character, mood, stability and mental well-being of the writer. Here at the Royal Dorset Academy Archive, we pride ourselves on the extensive files held in our Child Okeford "Deep Archive" Facility - a state-of-the-art building in which all our documents are kept in humidity- and temperature-controlled environments and the use of gloves in examining documents is de rigour. [NB television documentary makers and that Tudor woman with the long blonde curly hair - you are not getting your grubby little naked hands on my bounty!]
However, as an archivist, my interests are much more aligned to the aesthetic. To me, the collection of Thrupiece signatures we hold is a constant source of joy simply for their sheer variety, invention and expressive exuberance. Let others consider their significance; I am happy to contemplate their beauty. From the earliest known [an immature and uncertain boyish hand] to the [admittedly failed] experiments of later life - the cubist version is a hoot! - there is so much interest to be found here. Chameleon-like, a good Thrupiece signature not only gives us the essence of the man [oops graphology!] but also a glimpse of a moment: a hand holding a pen [or pencil, or stick, or knife] imprinting himself on another body and marking it indelibly for the rest of time. Call me an incurable romantic if you will, but a quarter of treacle toffee, a vanilla rooibos, a warm pussy and a firm stroke from the mature hand of Professor Thrupiece is just the very definition of heaven to me."
Seema Tidy-Drawers [Ms]
c/o Incurably Romantic Cottage
Child Okeford
Dorset
PS Ginger Puss sends her love too!
VIEW THAT DOCUMENT [Courtesy of the Royal Dorset Academy Child Okeford Deep Archive] IN GLORIOUS HD RESOLUTION HERE