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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

--------------------------------------------

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

If it was marketed that way then clearly he knew I was

there is criminal intent regardless of ohhh I thought 

you took money for something you knew wasn’t what you offered 

regardless of what you were advised. You knew it wasn’t what you offered. If you knew that wasn’t what you were offering then there was criminal intent. If he thought he was selling hand signed prints then there was no criminal intent. He knew he wasn’t. 

Maybe I’m confused. Idk but if you know you’re selling something different than what you’re saying that’s intent

and you’re making millions doing it. How is it not criminal and just civil

those 2 lawyer guys said they were close but this was indeed criminal 

I am finding it very difficult to accept that other art releases are not caught up in this.  The period Dylan has admitted to is not consistent with the releases which Castle are offering redress on. I am fortunate to have collected many pieces over the years.  Comparing signatures , the difference in signature from previous releases started in 2019. In February 2021 ( whilst we were still in lockdown ) I purchased two pieces from the Asia Series  both of which have very different signatures to those prior to 2019.  Have a look at Huon Province currently on the Castle website - signature clearly visible and compare to pre 2019.  A representative even tried to explain to me that these were all signed years in advance of release.  Asia Series for example was practically a sell out so the amount of redress that Castle would need to be pay back to purchasers would be eye watering if these were proven to be autopenned.  Does anyone else share my concern 

I also have concerns, but iwe have to prove it

I called them out on their oh he signed them years before thing. No. Not that I know of. I whipped out some dates of his signings and she immediately said I’ll have someone above me get in touch with you. 
I have over 20 grand in these. I don’t suspect they’re forged but I expressed the concerns here that someone else has signed with him since he obviously needs a babysitter with him at all times to be somewhat of an honest person 

Yes I worded it as such. 

Hello. I signed up to this site to post some thoughts about what Mr. Dylan is up to. First, am I doing this right? Am I responding to the main topic, or to someone's comments about the topic? I have some questions and some ideas. But first, I did some possibly helpful research on the web. The way to find a real Dylan signature, in my opinion, is to see the way he signs his paintings, not the way he signs his prints. He surely paints these works with his own hand (we hope!), so his signature on those one of a kind works are a helpful guide. I found a gallery Halcyon that sell his paintings. Here are signatures I found. Note that he varies his signature from painting to painting. He hates to repeat himself, so he varies. This applies to his live performances as well. Variation is a very fundamental aspect of his MO in all activities. Please let me know if I am doing this correctly, and that the illustrations are visible...

Attachments: No photo uploads here

Here is a compilation of signatures from his paintings....Please note one consistency: the angle of his "B" is nearly identical in all these examples where he uses a script style signature dylan.sigs.jpg

Thank you for this.. I am still actively researching but haven't been posting as much lately. I will look into these. If real, it could provide proof of Dylan changing his signature by adding a slant. I have not found any evidence yet linking that style to real examples. 

Over the last few days, I've been pondering this more compared to other celebrities.. There are many out there who have switched up signature styles throughout their career. Most with just a shorter version. There is one aspect that really bugs me.. I have never seen a celebrity change the overall slant of their signature. While still possible, Its an aspect that is extremely suspicious. I do not have confidence at all in his slanted style signatures. We need Dylan to show on camera, or just some other type of proof that he does in fact sign currently with this style. If we can prove these paintings and signatures without a doubt came from Bob Dylan, it would be a major step. Thank you for joining and providing this info. 

I have an extensive collection of prints purchased between 2008 to 2021 so I can track any signature changes. I purchased Lighthouse in Maine in 2017.   Signature matches all previous releases. I then purchased Early Morning Golden Gate Bridge in 2019.  The signature is different.  I purchased two Asia Series in February 2021.  The signatures do not match the early releases  but do match the the Golden Gate Bridge 2019.  I believe that these 3 are different enough to suggest there may be a problem. The dates do fit in with Dylan’s Statement but not Castle Galleries   I believe Castle need to cast their net wider.  Any thoughts on these photos? 

Attachments: No photo uploads here

I found this from the site here that has a bit of resemblance to current signature type. Litho print from 1990.

https://live.autographmagazine.com/photo/bob-dylan-self-portrait-pl...

Hahaha if you think he’s painting these by himself. Lol. Which series are these?

yes. Halcyon sells the paintings and castle sells the prints. 

but… uh lol. I wouldn’t buy his original “paintings” 

maybe a sketch. A painting no way. Nor a gate nothing that requires more than a drawing. 
maybe work done by bob Dylan and other mysterious unmentioned people. I mean look at retrospectrum Isn’t it obvious? The lady who called me today said oh he’s evolved as an artist and I stopped her and said, please.  He didn’t paint that. Sorry no. No one can convince me he painted those. 

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