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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

unacceptable.. we are supposed to take a written word from someone who has scammed his fanbase the last 4 years? he needs to do more.. Sign a few items on video and hold them up clearly visible for the camera. That should be worth $3k and up going forward. I'm sure they will stop autopen use. It will be up to consumers to research before purchasing on the secondary market. We still need proof Bob Dylan is actually hand signing everything. I refuse to trust the word of a fraudster 

Absolutely, unfortunately the word of an old man and his paid team are not acceptable. Neither is the get out of jail statement that Castle did know.  At worst culpable and at least failure in duty to have an inbuilt check that he was signing  personally to validate the certificate of authenticity which Washington Green have signed. .  

Which version of Bob is this signature? 

So Bob the fraudster asks the rest of his proven fraudulant  team to check and confirm that all the other prints they sold in the last 14 years were in fact hand signed by him.... this is a pretty laughable as definitive proof when they knowingly sold autopenned editions to Castle Fine Art / Washington Green - passing them off as being hand signed .....

I honestly would be shocked if they attempted to sell more autopenned prints going forward. If just 1 were proven to slip out down the line, it would restart this whole mess. I just cant see Dylan and Castle risking it a second time Why would they want to risk losing their cash cow after that has come out. It would be insane. The information floating around the web will be in place long after Dylan is gone. I'm sure they are monitoring this thread as well. We will never let this blow over. However, they still cant be trusted. They have completely lost all integrity and a silly little typed document proves nothing. this very well could be the sequel to Simon and Schuster's COA.. the difference is, we had no reason to doubt Simon and Schuster until customers received their items. In this case, customers already have their items. The fraudulent transactions have already been made. They need to do everything possible to regain consumers trust. especially if they want to continue selling items for thousands of dollars. I just do not see that effort at all. 

Thank you Eugene for the message from Dylan.

Who are Dylan's 'my team' - lawyers, friends, art experts, his son Jesse?

How do 'Black Buffalo' tie in - are employees there in the team?

At the least, the team should have tried to provide a minimum of proof that the prints issued during lockdown - namely, Asia in 2021 and Mondo Scripto in 2020 - were signed before it. 

Dylan, or his mouthpieces, are hoping to release more prints after this statement. Really! It will be a much tougher assignment. 

Dylan, in his self-sure, dismissive youth, would have savaged the statement as phoney.

What interesting questions.  From memory Black Buffalo is the name and emblem shown in the photograph in the Mondo Scripto Catalogue where he is sat down writing. Some one on here posted the photo to see if anyone could date it. Black Buffalo is named on the certificate of authenticity attached to the back of his limited edition prints in conjunction with Washington Green . Black Buffalo Ironworks badge is also shown on his gates / ironwork.  They are all marking each others homework ! Not acceptable. No independence 

Been a bit slow on the 'Black Buffalo' since I now remember and see the name's down as Printer and co-Publisher on my two C of As that I'm waiting to return. Envelope(s) not yet arrived.

You're right though. It's a small coterie marking each others' authenticity. 

Haaahaaa what a joke. He never mentions that he never secretarial signed anything. It was obvious the Mondo prints and some others were hand signed but in a weird handwriting that didn't look like his. So you only said you never autopenned the others, nothing about if he himself signed them.

It says he will hand sign them as he has done in the past... that only means he's hand signed some. He doesn't specify he'll hand sign them like ALL the other ones in the past. 

On top of that, none of that matters. Why would anyone take a guy who tried robbing multiples peoples word on anything? His word is garbage. His word proves absolutely nothing. 

100% agree- insult to injury here. Nothing in that statement definitively reflects that my 2018 Mondo was hand-signed by Bob Dylan. Very carefully worded and only thing definitive is that Dylan is trying to cover his (and Castle’s) a$$ to mitigate damages.

So he won’t put in writing that he did hand sign the rest and list those series by name? And Castle did not conduct due diligence to witness the signings? No explanation as to why the signatures changed suddenly in 2018? Yet we are supposed to accept this as resolving the matter? Give me a break. 

Agreed. They worded that perfectly to cover their ass. It doesnt say he personally hand signed all of the ones in the past. It just says from now on he'll hand sign them like he has done in the past... has done on how many? 1, 1000, all of them? No explanation of why his signature suddenly changed around the same time he said he decided to stop hand signing them himself. It's hard for me to believe those aren't secretarial. If he's willing to rip off buyers by not hand signing why would he care of its autopen or secretarial?

Plus he's greedy enough to rip off fans for $600 after making $500 mill selling his catalog, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's greedy enough to not want to pay the person to sign his prints anymore, once he figured out autopens exist. Why pay a salary if you can buy a robot to do the job? So obviously I can't prove anything but my theory is he had someone else signing that weird handwriting change, then figured out he could use autopen instead and went to that. Then his greed finally caught up with him.

Plus it doesn't negate the fact that many people will suffer huge losses if they ever tried to resell them to get rid of something they no longer feel is real. I'd assume nobody who researched these before buying, and seen they had fake signatures on some, would decide to buy, or pay close to retail. Granted there's no guarantee something will hold value... but that would piss me off if I owned one as well.  

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