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Bob Dylan AUTOPEN Info To Help With Returns / Refunds - Simon & Schuster, Premiere, and Coles

***URGENT UPDATE

Three Articles Published by Chris Willman at Variety
 
 
 
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
A message posted by Bob Dylan to his Facebook account
 
To my fans and followers,
 
I’ve been made aware that there’s some controversy about signatures on some of my recent artwork prints and on a limited-edition of Philosophy Of Modern Song. I’ve hand-signed each and every art print over the years, and there’s never been a problem.
However, in 2019 I had a bad case of vertigo and it continued into the pandemic years. It takes a crew of five working in close quarters with me to help enable these signing sessions, and we could not find a safe and workable way to complete what I needed to do while the virus was raging. So, during the pandemic, it was impossible to sign anything and the vertigo didn’t help. With contractual deadlines looming, the idea of using an auto-pen was suggested to me, along with the assurance that this kind of thing is done ‘all the time’ in the art and literary worlds.
Using a machine was an error in judgment and I want to rectify it immediately. I’m working with Simon & Schuster and my gallery partners to do just that.
 
With my deepest regrets,
Bob Dylan

 

Previous update 
Some users have uncovered potential autopen use within Bob Dylan's expensive art prints. Please check your prints if you own one and post a picture on this thread if you have any concerns.

here is a link to one of his art prints in question

https://www.castlefineart.com/art/bob-dylan/cactus

*UPDATE -  Let this be a warning to ALL publishers and celebrities in the future. We are sick and tired of these autopen releases. Our community has had enough and absolutely will not stand for this practice to continue any longer!!! 

I want to point out that Coles Books needs to be commended. They made sure to look out for their customers and refused to ship these out if they came from the same S&S stock, which they did. It was also an easy process to cancel orders beforehand if you wished. Coles. on behalf of everyone, I want to thank you for having integrity and watching out for all of us.

I can NOT say the same about Premiere Collectibles. They refused to honor cancelation requests until it was known these books were in fact autopenned. They advertise themselves claiming they are collectors themselves. This is not true. They are a retailer first and only care about your money. There have been other autopen incidents where they absolutely refused to accept blame, stating items were real when they were clearly deemed autopen by the community. Be careful with future purchases with Premiere Collectibles.

This email came directly from Jonathan Karp at Simon and Schuster. If anyone still wishes to send him a message, here is his email address as well.

jonathan.karp@simonandschuster.com

We apologize for the mistake that was made and are offering a full refund of your purchase.  Please keep your copy of The Philosophy of Modern Song at no cost. We hope you will enjoy reading it.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Karp

Here are 51 articles and counting detailing our combined efforts on this forum

New York Post - Screenshot.jpg

New York Times - Screenshot.jpg

Los Angeles Times - Screenshot.jpg

Washington Post - Screenshot.jpg

Rolling Stone - Screenshot.jpg

Rolling Stone pt2 - Screenshot.jpg

Billboard - Screenshot.jpg

Billboard pt2 - Screenshot.jpg

Variety - Screenshot.jpg

Variety pt2 - Screenshot.jpg

Variety pt3 - Screenshot.jpg

USA Today - Screenshot.jpg

The Daily Beast - Screenshot.jpg

People - Screenshot.jpg

Daily Mail - Screenshot.jpg

Ultimate Classic Rock - Screenshot.jpg

Yahoo - Screenshot.jpg

Inside Hook - Screenshot.jpg

Poetic Justice - Screenshot.jpg

Exclaim - Screenshot.jpg

The Music Universe - Screenshot.jpg

Literary Hub - Screenshot.jpg

Stereogum - Screenshot.jpg

Esquire - Screenshot.jpg

Boing Boing - Screenshot.jpg

NME pt1 - Screenshot.jpg

NME pt2 - Screenshot.jpg

I Heart Radio - Screenshot.jpg

Publishers Lunch - Subscription required

Spiegel - Translated Screenshot.jpg

Boston 25 - Screenshot.jpg

Spin - Screenshot.jpg

Uproxx - Screenshot.jpg

Newser - Screenshot.jpg

Vigour Times - Screenshot.jpg

Pitchfork - Screenshot.jpg

UPI pt1 - Screenshot.jpg

UPI pt2 - Screenshot.jpg

Daily Caller - Screenshot.jpg

Far Out Magazine - Screenshot.jpg

Gulf News - Screenshot.jpg

Breitbart - Screenshot.jpg

American Songwriter - Screenshot.jpg

American Top 40 - Screenshot.jpg

We Got This Covered - Screenshot.jpg

Healthcare Buisness - Screenshot.jpg

Music News - Screenshot.jpg

Music Times - Screenshot.jpg

Happy Mag - Screenshot.jpg

Sydney Morning Herald - Screenshot.jpg

The Guardian - Screenshot.jpg

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ORIGINAL POST

I am creating this thread as a comprehensive all in 1 link for returns, refunds, chargebacks and claims made regarding the "signed" edition of Bob Dylan - The Philosophy Of Modern Song. Please use this link to email Simon & Schuster, Coles, and Premiere Collectables as 100% proof these were signed using an autopen machine. 

I would like to say right off the bat, Coles Books in the UK is handling this professionally and seem to care deeply about their customer base. They have stated that, once they are in hand, If they find evidence of them being autopenned, they will cancel all orders.. Kudos to Coles.. I wish all retailers would follow their lead. If you wish to cancel your order with them immediately instead of waiting, It seems to be an easy process.

This post will be continuously updated with new information over the next few days

Please refer to this article for the time being until more information is added

https://www.iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1290-cjbk/news/collectors-quest...

Here is the post I created a few weeks ago with info regarding the Indigo incident.

https://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/indigo-bob-dylan-po...

So far, there have been a total of 17 confirmed different templates for the autopen machine used for Bob Dylans signature. I am in the process of creating video comparisons for all 17 sets. Please post full page photos of your item as they are delivered to aid in this process 

Here are all 17 templates used by Bob Dylan - I am still looking for full page photos for numbers 8,13 and 15 thru 17 but its still best to post whatever you receive

Be aware when checking against your own copy, it has come to light that they are possibly using 1st and last names interchangeably. Bob in #2 matches perfectly with Bob in #13 while Dylan in both are different

14th variation confirmed

15th variation

16th variation - Seems to be almost an exact combination of #11 and #13 with a different vertical line in his "D" 

17th variation

Video and photo comparisons created so far

Video of set 1 Dylan1.mp4  - Photo of set 1 Dylan1.JPG

Video of set 2 Dylan2.mp4  - Photo of set 2 Dylan2.JPG

Video of set 3 Dylan3.mp4  - Photo of set 3 Dylan3.JPG

Video of set 4 Dylan4.mp4  - Photo of set 4 Dylan4.JPG

Video of set 5 Dylan5.mp4  - Photo of set 5 Dylan5.JPG

Video of set 6 Dylan6.mp4  - Photo of set 6 Dylan6.JPG

Video of set 7 Dylan7.mp4  - Photo of set 7 Dylan7.JPG

Video of set 9 Dylan9.mp4  - Photo of set 9 Dylan9.JPG

Video of set 10 Dylan10.mp4 - Photo of set 10 Dylan10.JPG

Video of set 11 Dylan11.mp4 - Photo of set 11 Dylan11.JPG

Video of set 12 Dylan12.mp4 - Photo of set 12 Dylan12.JPG

Video of set 14 Dylan14.mp4 - Photo of set 14 Dylan14.JPG

Here are the COAs stating these books were in fact hand-signed

Suzanne Baboneau for UK - Certificate Of Authenticity UK.jpg

Jonathan Karp for USA - Certificate Of Authenticity USA.JPG

Coles listing before it was removed - Coles Website Listing.jpg

Important emails:

Jonathan Karp US - CEO of Simon & Schuster
jonathan.karp@simonandschuster.com

Duane Ward of Premiere Collectables
duane@premierespeakers.com  - Others have tried duane@premierecollectables.com

Suzanne Baboneau, Managing Director
suzanne.baboneau@simonandschuster.co.uk

Ian Chapman, UK - CEO
ian.chapman@simonandschuster.co.uk

Bob Dylan's Manager

Jeff Kramer
OK Management
275 South Beverly Drive
Suite 215
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Phone: 310-535-1647


Bob Dylan's Agent

Brian Greenbaum
Creative Artists Agency
2000 Avenue Of The Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Phone: 424-288-2000


Bob Dylan's Production Agent

Sony/Columbia/CBS Records
550 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-833-7305


Bob Dylan's Law Firm

Manatt Phelps & Phillips
11355 West Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Phone: 310-312-4000

Bob Dylan's Twitter

Tweet or privatly message Bob on his verified Twitter account.
https://twitter.com/bobdylan/

Bob Dylan's Facebook

Post or message Bob on his verified Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/bobdylan/

I also found this email associated with Bob Dylans store. Its worth a try

BOBDYLAN@EPICRIGHTS.COM

Media Publications who may be eager to pick up this story - Please email them a link to this post and all related content

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/corp/contactus.html

For story pitches, please send:
News to Jim Milliot and John Maher
Soapbox ideas to Rachel Deahl
Features to features@publishersweekly.com

Related content:

Dolly Parton is also guilty of using multiple autopens in the same fashion with multiple templates over the years but with a slight twist where they manipulate the page as the autopen machine writes her signature. If we are looking to stop all future attempts at autopen usage, she needs to be held accountable just as much as Bob Dylan and S&S. Link to threads below

Here is a great example provided by Eric Keith Longo

Dolly Parton Autopen Example.jpg

http://www.feelnumb.com/2022/03/09/dolly-parton-fake-autograph-song...

https://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/dolly-parton-signed...

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Replies to This Discussion

The only real victims are the Poor sods that bought them at hugely inflated prices in the first place !  - I've said before -  Castle  could be in cahoots with Dylan too for all we know, and could have been for many years  ! 

The Onus is on Castle to prove every print they have sold is genuine and if they cannot (Which they probably can't) then they should offer a full refund to any sold if and when requested - If they are sure they are all signed then they wouldn't have any problems re-selling them in the future - well they wouldn't before all this kicked off that is ! 

The silence from Castle is deafening. 

Oh Yes it is deafening.

As Servi just stated, same as I did a day or two  ago ... 240 Prints from the Dylan Autopenned era are still for sale on their website, 11 less than when i last checked 2 days ago - so it's very much business as usual for them... by that i mean keep selling or trying to sell  (Autopenned???) Dylan prints and ignore their past Autopenned customers. 

I am reserving my judgement if they acted in good faith because they are not acting in good faith with their customers right now.  Do not forget they needed items to sell , he was their star attraction , it was lockdown and poor old Bob felt vulnerable but he had contractual obligations with them to fulfil. They say they were usually present at the signings. They broke the process. The audit chain was broken but they accepted the prints no questions asked even if the signatures were a little strange.  I just wonder who on earth suggested the auto pen and where were the prints when they were signed?  Lots of unanswered questions. Plenty of mileage to go on this. Keep the pressure on both Castle and Bob.  

Dubroni. I do not agree. When you look at these things in the round you have to ask who benefits?   

Josh sorry this is misleading. As far as the prints are concerned, the only people who will get refunds will be the ones that Castle are forced to admit are affected. Currently 2022.  Many of us believe earlier releases are impacted and the pressure needs to continue to be put on them to provide unequivocally that earlier releases specifically those between 2019 to 2023 where Bob has already confessed to the use of autopen but Castle are currently saying no you are ok! 

100% Agree Jane

Yes, obviously you can fake photos, but if it got to the point where the artist has various photos from a signing, I think that would be enough for book stores/record stores to be put at ease.

Josh Board - Sorry I have lost the thread on this and not really sure where you are coming from. As a reminder specifically on the subject of the limited editions prints  Bob said he was ill in 2019  with vertigo - it - must have been after the London Concert in Hyde Park in July 2019, footage available on you tube - standing up fine.  He said he used the autopen into and during the  covid period.  I do not understand why you are referring to a photo of him signing ?  

This was in response to me saying when Springsteen signed for a Grammy charity, they took a photo of EVERY PHOTO HE SIGNED, and that in the future, they need to do that; and certainly with the money for Dylan prints/books, they should have.

quite.  Whether they knew or not, would one buy a high value item from them now? 

I don't think so. Look at the people who buy expensive art....they're not poor. They don't care lol

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