John Castagno's Artists' Signatures and Monograms have become the standard reference source for galleries, museums, libraries, and collectors around the world. Whether used to identify, authenticate, or verify signatures and works of both well-known and little-known artists, Castagno's work has no equal.

In the first volume of American Artists: Signatures and Monograms, 1800-1989 (Scarecrow, 1990), Castagno provided identification for more than 5,000 artists' signatures, along with biographical information and reference sources. This second volume contains some 3,500 artists and 4,600 signature examples. In addition to the standard signature entries, the book features sections for monograms and initials, common surname signatures, alternative surname signatures, symbols, Cyrillic Signatures, and illegible signatures. Less than five percent of the entries in this volume are listed in the original volume—and these are included to provide additional information about the artists.

The use of American Artists II: Signatures and Monograms From 1800, A Comprehensive Directory provides the researcher a reference tool not duplicated elsewhere—one that will save many hours of research.