We are an eBay affiliate and may be compensated for clicks on links that result in purchases.

Michael Jackson Signing Styles in Julien's Tompkins and Bush Sale

On December 2, Julien's Auctions is selling The Collection of Tompkins and Bush. The collection contains 465 lots of Michael Jackson memorabilia, 287 of them autographed.

Michael Bush and the late Dennis Tompkins were Michael Jackson's costume designers for 25 years, during Jackson's most successful period. They were the consignors of the signed Thriller jacket that Julien's sold for $1,800,000 in June 2011.

Almost all of the autographs in the Tompkins and Bush sale are a variation I'm not familiar with. I've only been looking at Jackson's autograph for a few years, though, and we have members here who have collected him for decades, so I'd appreciate your input and exemplars.

If you know Michael Jackson's autograph well, please look at a few images below from the auction and let me know what you think. Even better, browse the auction and upload any similar examples you have: http://www.julienslive.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/77/

Julien's is the world's premier auction house for Michael Jackson memorabilia, so they would know his autograph better than most of us. I'm just surprised I haven't seen this style before.

Thanks for your help.

Tags: 2012, Julien's, auction, michael jackson, tompkins and bush

13 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by MJ-fan-1965 on January 6, 2013 at 2:57am

Yes, it does have some of the things we pointed out, and it was tripping me up a little. I wonder the history on it.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by MJ-fan-1965 on January 6, 2013 at 3:11am

I just found this one on another website. Has the Neverland/Dreamland Logo at the top.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Helen on January 6, 2013 at 4:20am

I remember seeing this in a magazine at the time and it seemed unquestionable then, will do some digging. The signature slants to the right more than I'd expect but the handwriting looks good to me.

It's definitely from the time and was published then, not "post mortem".

Edit: OK, I've got it: it was sent to British fan magazine "Off The Wall" in 1991. They had legitimate contacts, so my assumption would be that it's real. Unless it's an extremely good secretarial. Or many notes I've seen are secretarials and what I recognise as MJ's typical handwriting is in fact the hand of the 90's secretary. That would make me very sad.

“To my dear fans, I truly miss you all and love you, from the bottom of my heart. In the 1990’s, I will promise you the best work I’ve ever done. Always help the children, love them. I love you, Michael Jackson.” (from the January-March 1991 issue of fan magazine, "Off The Wall")

http://www.thesilencedtruth.com/index.php?option=com_content&vi...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by MJ-fan-1965 on January 6, 2013 at 4:40am

Thank you Helen for sending in the info. The slant as well as a few other things stood out to me as well.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Helen on January 6, 2013 at 5:10am

I know! On a Bush item and without the rest of the handwriting I'd immediately call this autograph out o.O. If real, this is the closest resemblance of a real signature to Bush's style. Just shows how careful we have to be.
What's also very important is that this one is proven to be pre 2009.

I'd be very interested what Roger thinks of it.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Charlotte Stanley on January 6, 2013 at 1:05pm

I agree. So do you think a lot of these are secretaries writing the notes for him and signing his name?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Helen on January 6, 2013 at 3:39pm

I know I said it, but I just can't imagine that. The secretarial signatures change over the years but the handwriting has been consistent.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wendy Christine on January 6, 2013 at 7:00pm

THANX

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 7, 2013 at 4:57pm

Wendy,

A Michael Jackson fan who wishes to remain in the background clued me onto this. You have found another smoking gun. Coming up soon.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wendy Christine on January 8, 2013 at 8:24pm

Hi Steve, I'm sorry about the THANX compare if someone else already found it. It just presented itself to me so I did a quick compare with the sketches - none of which have been sold, to my knowledge.