5 3/8 x 3 1/2 in (13.8 x 9 cm)

Provenance and Authentication:
This collectible has undergone a rigorous forensic evaluation. The signatures were carefully analyzed across multiple criteria, including ink deposition, material aging characteristics, stylistic consistency, and historical alignment. The findings provide a sound basis for authenticity and historical context, and the piece is accompanied by comprehensive documentation supporting both its provenance and verification.

This signed postcard is associated with Anton Chekhov, one of the most influential literary figures of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As a playwright and short story writer whose work reshaped modern narrative structure, Chekhov occupies a foundational position in world literature, bridging realism, psychological depth, and understated dramatic form.

The postcard presents a formal portrait of Chekhov consistent with late imperial Russian visual culture, emphasizing intellectual restraint and contemplative presence. Such portrait postcards functioned as widely circulated cultural objects during the period, serving both as personal correspondence and as vehicles for the dissemination of prominent literary and intellectual figures. As a medium, the postcard reflects the intersection of public recognition and private exchange characteristic of Chekhov's era.

Chekhov's handwritten signature appears directly on the postcard surface, rendered in a restrained cursive style marked by fluid continuity and controlled line movement. The inscription integrates naturally with the printed image, maintaining visual balance without obscuring the portrait. The placement and scale of the signature suggest a deliberate yet unembellished presentation, consistent with Chekhov's widely noted personal reserve and understated public demeanor.

As a signed literary artifact, this postcard operates on multiple levels: as a signed object, as a period image, and as a documentary trace of a writer whose influence extended far beyond his lifetime. Within the signed memorabilia market, material associated with Chekhov occupies a particularly scarce and academically anchored category, shaped by historical circumstance, early mortality, and the limited survival of personally signed ephemera.

Collector interest in Chekhov material remains sustained by his enduring relevance within literary scholarship, theatrical practice, and modern narrative theory. Signed postcards, in particular, represent a convergence of accessibility and rarity, preserving both the visual identity and personal mark of one of literature's most quietly transformative figures.

Condition:

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