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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

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 5, 2013 at 8:19pm

I don't get it myself.

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Permalink Reply by Charlotte Stanley on January 6, 2013 at 1:55am

It just seems as if they dont care right? I never paid so much attention before just assuming they would only have real signatures. The problem is people were using their items to compare- the market is flooded with fakes. A genuine autograph is probably more rare than we realize.

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Permalink Reply by Helen on January 6, 2013 at 4:16am

I agree, it's absolutely staggering and shows an utter, complete lack of diligence. I repeat, no wonder there is no proper response now. The most charitable explanation is that maybe the Bush ones are the best provenance they've had in a long time and they've seen so many fakes for so long that they actually don't recognise a real signature anymore.

Just reaching for straws here...

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Permalink Reply by Brian M. Wazac on January 6, 2013 at 9:35am

Helen, You're being way 2 kind! LOL Happy New Year Everybody!

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Permalink Reply by Charlotte Stanley on January 6, 2013 at 1:08pm

You are absolutely right. I know they accept anything signed because Ive had friends who had items they bought on E Bay. Dont know if they were real or not but Juliens wanted some of the items. And we know they dont check anything with an authenticator.

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Permalink Reply by MJ-fan-1965 on January 6, 2013 at 10:04am

I sent this to Steve privately first, and will share here now too. I had thought the letter looked "secretarial" and didn't like the hat. Steve can share his thoughts (don't want to put words in anyones mouth). http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19800/lot/358/

EDIT forgot to include pic in case web eventually isn't there some day. (Steve had asked for some authentic examples?) - you'll have to click to enlarge

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Permalink Reply by MJ-fan-1965 on January 6, 2013 at 2:06am

On the one above labeled 581, I also pulled this one in my studies, but I also pulled 580 (I'll put them one under the other). You can see whoever wrote one, wrote the other (both from the calendar as well). And your def right -nothing I've ever seen before either. The J is just not showing on the 2nd one but the "Michael" part looks the same.

http://www.julienslive.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/26/lot/7563/

http://www.julienslive.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/26/lot/7562/

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Permalink Reply by Helen on January 6, 2013 at 4:45am

Thanks for posting this sorry lot, Wendy :(.

In a pinch I can believe a few. Lots 563, 407 and 417 aren't instant write-offs for me. But the rest... wow!

587 is an interesting example of somebody trying and dysmally failing to reproduce Michael's handwriting. The backward J is also very interesting, I've seen it before, is it in the "Bush range"?

There's a series of autographs which are claimed to be from the 2006 Hamburg visit which have a weird "asclepius" J stroke that's similar.

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Permalink Reply by Wendy Christine on January 6, 2013 at 7:39pm

Yes Helen, those are the best of the worst - which are still a sorry lot, as you say. And I would have included 427 if not for that funky J and awkward slant.

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Permalink Reply by Leon Luo on January 5, 2013 at 11:18pm

It will be really great to see another study article on MJ autographs in the next issue of Autograph magazine if possible. All the study and analysis here would be great materials for an article like that.

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Permalink Reply by MJ-fan-1965 on January 6, 2013 at 2:17am

Does anyone know the history behind this note, where it came from etc? (I'm including two versions of it because one looks clearer than the other but one is larger). Charlotte you had this in your folder of Michaels letters, and I too had this one pulled and stored in a file, though I don't know the history behind it. I sent it to Steve and he said I should share and ask on it too.

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Permalink Reply by Charlotte Stanley on January 6, 2013 at 2:26am

Yes. re looking at a lot in my album and this one is questionable isnt it? It does have some of that flair we were discussing. Would like to hear opinions.