Authenticity is Everything

Does this Salman Rushdie signature look authentic?

Hi everyone, I’d really appreciate some opinions on this Salman Rushdie signature.

It is a copy of The Satanic Verses (Viking, First American Edition, later printing), signed on the title page in blue ink, possibly felt-tip / sign pen.

Based on the photos, does this signature look authentic to you, or do you see any red flags?

I’d be especially interested in opinions from people familiar with Salman Rushdie signatures, including how his autograph may have changed over time.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Tags: Salman Rushdie, Satanic Verses

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Permalink Reply by crazyrabbits23 11 hours ago

I thought Rushdie signed most, if not all, copies of TSV on the inside of the front board, under the dust jacket, because it was a reference to him still being in hiding over the years?

Maybe I'm wrong - looked on AbeBooks, and saw a wild spread of variations of his signature. Some signed on title page, some signed on the half title page, and a lot of spread on the various signature types.

This definitely isn't a later signature - from the copies I've owned (Joseph Anton/Knife era), his signature is much more simple and streamlined.

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Permalink Reply by michelle 10 hours ago

I havent seen a sig like that before, it looks very convoluted as well.As Rabbit says his sig is very simple and streamlined in a kind of elegant way

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Permalink Reply by PFCollector 10 hours ago

Post it on one of the FB groups maybe theyd know. Or get quick opinion if theyre still doing them from some of the authentication companies

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Permalink Reply by Harry Hood 6 hours ago

By no means am I an expert, but when comparing the signature to the Salman signed books I’ve owned, the S- in his signature has always appeared to me like a backwards or mirrored number 2, and this doesn’t quite look like that.

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Permalink Reply by Helmut Kohl 27 minutes ago

I have a significant number of Rushdie signed books and I don't have any that look similar to your example so I would personally question it. The only scenario where i can see this being authentic would be if it was done in a rush at a signing event but in that case i would expect to have a provenance or photo evidence.

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Permalink Reply by Findbooks 9 minutes ago

Unfortunately this is not an authentic example, i.m.o.

He is a careful and considerate signer and would not normally attempt to squeeze an autograph in to this confined space. That is my experience, anyway.

More importantly, it does not match!