How each signature in the collection is found, checked and labelled, and why some signatures can be used on products while others cannot.
The backbone of the collection is Wikidata, the free, structured knowledge base that sits alongside Wikipedia. Wikidata has a "signature" property (P109) that links a person to an image file of their signature on Wikimedia Commons. We query that link, then read the licence, author and usage terms that Commons publishes for each file. Every entry on this site therefore points back to a real file you can inspect yourself; each person's page links to their Wikidata record.
When the gallery is sorted by notability, it uses the number of language editions of Wikipedia that have an article about the person. It is a neutral, repeatable measure rather than a judgement of importance, and anyone can check it. A page that says "present on 292 language Wikipedias" is reporting that count.
| Layer | What it covers | How we treat it |
|---|---|---|
| The signature itself | The handwriting as a creative work. | In the United States a plain signature usually lacks enough originality for copyright, and Commons often tags such files as public domain. Highly stylised, logo-like signatures can be different. |
| The image of the signature | The particular scan or photograph. | This can carry its own copyright, held by whoever made it. We only use files whose licence is published: public domain, CC0, or Creative Commons licences that allow reuse with attribution. |
| Right of publicity | Commercial use of a person's name and identity. | This mainly protects living people and, in some places, estates for a period after death. It is why the collection focuses on people who are no longer living. |
| Trademarks | Names or signatures registered as brands. | Before a signature can appear on clothing we screen the name against the U.S. trademark register, and only an affirmative "clear" result counts. |
Each signature carries a risk level and a usage label that combine the layers above. In plain terms:
As a result, almost every signature in the current collection is a public-domain or openly licensed file of a person who has died.
Each person's page shows the licence of the file and links to the source record, where the author and full licence terms are published. Creative Commons "share-alike" licences can also require that adaptations are shared under the same terms.
Open data contains mistakes. If you think a file is mislabelled, attributed to the wrong person or licensed differently from what we show, email info@designerwallcoverings.com with the page address. We check the claim against the source and correct or remove the entry.
This page describes how the site works. It is not legal advice; if you plan to reuse a signature commercially, check the licence on the source file and the law where you are.