File CF/7/1 - Autograph book

Autograph book, started in 1857 by Henry Fuchs, Carl's father. The cover of the book is engraved with Henry's initials, and there are photographs of Henry and Carl stuck into the inside cover. Carl Fuchs has written the following on one of the first pages: 'This autograph album was started in 1857 by my father Heinrich Ludwig Jacob Fuchs born at Amsterdam in 1830, died at Offenbach am Main 19.III.1903, where he was known as Henry Fuchs. The first entry was made on 24.5.1857 by Anton Schindler (1796-1864), Beethoven's friend and biographer, who on his visiting cards had printed (under his name) "ami de Beethoven"... After my father's death I continued collecting entries into this book.' Signatures include those of many prominent musicians of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; just some names included are Backhaus, Barbirolli, Beecham, Brodsky, Bruch, Dvorak, Faure, Gounod, Grieg, Halle, Harty (Hamilton), Joachim, Ogdon (John), Rachmaninoff, Rubbra, Saint-Saens, Wagner (Cosima and Siegfried). The last entry in the book is dated 1994 and features the signatures of the Landolfi Quartet; fittingly, Delia Fuchs (Carl's niece) was a member of this Quartet, thus ensuring a family connection to the autograph book from beginning to end. Also included with the autograph book is some paperwork relating to the possible sale/auction of the book by the family.