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Josip Joe Mikulec (1887-1933) back home in Croatia
Joe Mikulec collected 50,000 signatures, among them of six former American presidents
Nathan Raab (USA) and Viktor Šimunić (Croatia) in Philadelphia in 2025, by the book in which Josip Joe Mikulec (1878-1933)
collected abou 60,000 signatures, among them of six former presidents of the USA, in the period until 1924.
In this book there is also a signature of Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), distinguished Croatian-American inventor.
The weight of this book is 26 kg, and it has 2896 pp.
CBS about Joe Mikulec, Croatian globetrotter
Summary. Josip Joe Mikulec (1878-1933), Croatian globe-trotter, is probably the greatest one in history. The first of his two preserved books of autographs covers the period until 1924, while the second - from that year until his death in Genoa, Italy, in 1933. Both books contain more than 50,000 signatures, among them by six USA presidents and Nikola Tesla. The first book has 26 kg and 2896 pp. It was purchased only recently in the USA, in 2025, due to the initiative of Viktor Šimunić, the Mayor of Oroslavje near Croatian capital Zagreb. The second book was purchased in 2023, and is kept in the Croatian History Museum in Zagreb, as a national heritage.
The second book of autographs by Josip Mikulec, covering the period of 1924-1933,
was pourchased in 2023 by the Croatian History Museum in Zagreb.
The second of the two Mikulec's books, pourchased in 1923 by the Croatian History Museum in Zagreb, is considered as a protected national heritage of the Republic of Croatia.
AUTOGRAPH COLLECTOR HERE IN WORLD TOURS; Adds Mayor's Signature to List of Celebrities Obtained in Many Countries.
Joseph Mikulec, autograph collector, has covered several hundred thousand miles and twice traveled around the world to get signatures of prominent persons in all countries. In travel-stained clothes and with his huge book strapped upon his back, he went to the City Hall a few days ago and got the signature of Mayor Hylan.
After visiting several local celebrities in financial, business, theatrical and political circles, Mikulec started West again. His leather-bound book, which weighs fifty-seven pounds, is the second he has carried to the far corners of the world. In it he proudly exhibits the signatures of five Presidents:
Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge.
The book is heavy with the seals of many States and cities, and contains the names of Lloyd George, Lord Curzon, the Prince of Wales, Prince Lubomirski, the President of China, Admiral Togo of Japan, J. Pierpont Morgan, a long list of United States Senators, American Ambassadors, Ambassadors to the United States, many editors and noted writers.
And Mikulec left his home in Stubica, Croatia, twenty-two years ago, when he was 23 years old, and began his long pilgrimage on foot, traveling from city to city in Central Europe. After several years of incessant travel on the Continent he visited the United States, making his home in Philadelphia and becoming a citizen in December, 1910.
Later he returned to his wanderings and visited
Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, India, Egypt, the Holy Land and South Africa.
Mikulec said he was now about ready to settle down. He hoped to see his autograph books placed in a position of honor in a museum. Then, he said, he would get a small farm of his own somewhere in the Middle West.
Joe Mikulec did not settle down, as indicated near the end of the above 1923 article published in The NYT. He continued to travel until his death in Genoa, Italy, in 1933. He died at the age of 55.
There is also another distinguished Croatian globe-trotter, Mate Šimunović (1900-1969), nicknamed Mate Svjetski. We also mention Oskar Vojnić (1864-1904), who even served as a chieftain in Samoa.
