This piece features an original handwritten manuscript fragment attributed to Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States and a career military commander known as "Old Rough and Ready."

The fragment shows period-appropriate cursive consistent with mid-19th-century American correspondence, likely from a formal or administrative letter. The handwriting exhibits flowing strokes, variable pressure, and spacing consistent with a mature, practiced hand rather than a modern reproduction.

Taylor's material is not common, particularly compared to later presidents, and handwritten content (not just a clipped signature) carries added historical and collector value. This relic represents a tangible connection to a key transitional figure in U.S. political and military history.

Handwriting Assessment (Visual Analysis)

Positive indicators:

• Slanted, right-leaning cursive consistent with 1840s–1850s American hands
• Natural line variation and ink flow (no tremor or tracing artifacts)
• Period-correct letterforms (notably the long connective strokes and open loops)
• Ink saturation and paper texture consistent with 19th-century correspondence

Contextual fit:

• Zachary Taylor was a career officer and frequent correspondent; surviving letters show similar disciplined but fluid penmanship
• The writing style aligns more closely with military-administrative correspondence than literary or ornamental hands

Limitations:

• Fragment format (no full signature visible)
• No external third-party authentication attached

Probability This Is His Hand

Estimated likelihood: 65–75%

This reflects:

• Strong stylistic consistency
• Correct historical handwriting conventions
• Reasonable sourcing context for relic-card material

Final certainty would require:

• Side-by-side comparison with known Taylor letters
• Paper and ink analysis (optional)
• Third-party authentication (PSA/DNA, Beckett, or forensic document examiner)

Collector Notes

• Presidential relic + handwriting = stronger than signature-only clips
• Best positioned as a historical manuscript relic, not a modern autograph
• Appeals to presidential collectors, early U.S. history collectors, and relic-card specialists
• Authenticity probability is strong enough to list confidently with transparent language