Actor's autographs

A carte-de-visite showing the autographs of sixteen popular actors, arranged in a circle radiating out from an advertisement for the Royal Dramatic College’s Almanac. The calendar can be used to calculate what day of the week any given day was in the year 1866.

From 12 o’clock, going clockwise, the autographs belong to:

Robert Keeley
Teresa Furtado
John Billington
Henrietta Simms
Ben Webster
Sarah Mellon
Paul Bedford
Kate Terry
J.L. Toole
Nelly Moore
Edward Askew Sothern
Fanny Stirling
John Baldwin Buckstone
Mary Anne Keeley
Henry Compton
Kate Saville

Various contemporary articles shed some light on what sort of publication the Almanac was:

‘Mr Anson has just issued, for the ninth year, his very useful and compendious Dramatic Almanac, resplendent in its red and gold wrapper, and internal Alexandra blue typography. Besides the vast amount of information on dramatic matters; the ordinary calendar, with some notable theatrical event recorded for each day; a chronology, chiefly dramatic, for upwards of 2000 years, from the building of the Tower of Babel to the present time; first appearances of celebrated artistes; lists of theatres and managers throughout the United Kingdom, Colonies, and America, &c., &c., which have rendered this little vade mecum of such interest to all lovers and patrons of the drama, and indispensably necessary and useful to the profession generally, and to those in any way connected therewith in business, the Almanack for the New Year is enhanced by the addition, for the first time, of a table of the dates of the first productions of standard dramas. The new addition, and a very interesting one, is, as yet, but the nucleus of what may be made much more comprehensive, which, doubtless, Mr Anson will effect by degrees in future issues, and thus render it a lead feature of this useful compilation. It cannot be too often reiterated that purchasers while providing themselves with a valuable little book of reference, aid in a benevolent object, as the profits of the sale are praiseworthily devoted to the Dramatic, Equestrian and Musical sick fund’ (Sporting Gazette, 7 January 1865).

‘THE DRAMATIC ALMANAC — We are frequently asked questions on theatrical subjects generally. Our best answer to those seeking such information is that they can have that and much more by purchasing the “Dramatic Almanac,” by Mr J.W. Anson, secretary to the Royal Dramatic College. The price is only sixpence, and it can be obtained at every theatre and music-hall in the United Kingdom’ (Sporting Life, 25 February 1865).

‘ANSON’S DRAMATIC ALMANAC FOR 1866 — This useful little publication published for the benefit of the Dramatic, Equestrian and Musical Sick Fund, has just entered upon its tenth year, and has cast off many of the errors inseparable from youth. Mistakes excepted, it is one of the most portable and valuable records of theatrical facts issued from the press, and the present edition is enriched with a special antiquarian contribution by Mr J.W. Anson on histrionic London. This little work is now under the editorship of Mr J.H. Siddons’ (Weekly Chronicle, 6 January 1866).