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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 Wendy Christine on December 31, 2012 at 8:05am

Not a very gracefuLL attempt at a MichaeLL L is it, Steve? Nice find! You made Michael smile with that one :)

And yet, like TeamMichael noted on the plush toys (MJ Pets), the double L characteristic isn't there, while the overall look of the Thriller jacket style is there...

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on December 31, 2012 at 9:29am

It turns out someone told me about the double L's days before but I didn't read the whole email.

Yes, TM is right. The MJ pets don't have the double L's, but four other autographs in that style sold in Tompkins & Bush do.

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Permalink Reply by Wendy Christine on January 1, 2013 at 1:14pm

I see, well thank you for mentioning it. Right, the four you mentioned.. and it's difficult to see because it's a bit faded, but I think the double L is on the Bal a Versailles bottle (Lot 767).

Like I said it looks faded but I believe I can see it in the middle of the J loop. That's an iffy one.

Happy New Year :)

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Permalink Reply by Helen on December 30, 2012 at 1:17pm

Is there no end to this?! No wonder Julien can't be budged. He apparently wouldn't know a real MJ autograph if it smacked him in the face. And he doesn't give a rat's ass about provenance, plausibility, due diligence.

Or he's a cynical crook. There really are only those two possibilities.

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Permalink Reply by MJ-fan-1965 on December 30, 2012 at 10:38am

Hi Taaj, This was what I was responding to: More examples of the 2012 Julien-Bush catalog signature style (see above in the beginning of the thread)

I said they don't look like the Bush auction (meaning the typical style in that auction--these as she noted are from the Icon's Idols auction) I and several others believe there to be 2 different styles. And that's just an opinion, it has nothing to do with Wendy. Please don't make this personal, because its NOT in any way shape or form. In order for us to discover things - we should be able to make comments on the things we see, without taking it personal.

Thank you.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on December 30, 2012 at 11:04am

Yes, there are 20 or so examples of the Thriller jacket signature in the Tompkins & Bush sale.

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Permalink Reply by TeamMichael777 on December 30, 2012 at 4:54pm

MJ-fan-1965 they ARE same examples as Juliens-Bush catalog style as posted further down by Steve. There are two types of forgeries in the Tompkins-Bush auction of Dec 2nd 2012. We have already established that a few days back, two forgers, two styles, I think its time to stop splitting hairs, there are more serious issues at hand.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on December 30, 2012 at 11:56am

Here are two of the panels from Bush's book, "The King of Style," that Sandy uploaded a few weeks ago. In the top one, Jackson just signed "Michael," which clearly shows that he uses the final loop in the name as the "L." In the second one, you see a full autograph:

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on December 30, 2012 at 1:26pm

Only a few of the 20 or so in Tompkins & Bush that resemble these have the double "L"...I haven't checked the 280 scribbled ones in that auction. Here they are:

Lot 666:

Lot 713:

Lot 852:

Lot 977, which looks a lot like the autograph in the lining of the Thriller jacket:

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Permalink Reply by TeamMichael777 on December 30, 2012 at 2:56pm

Thank you Steve.. bajeeeez, what are Juliens playing at, disgraceful!!

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Permalink Reply by TeamMichael777 on December 30, 2012 at 5:00pm

Steve, Remember the plush toys sigs i posted in the private group, they resemble these sigs, but without the two "L's" will post here again, sorry for the repeat post, plz let me know what u think.