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 November 19, 2012 at 2:50pm

Hi Steve,

I've included a video of a 1990 Entertainment Tonight "report". Based on that, the painting was unveiled in January 1990, so the lithographs presumably were signed near that time frame, I would think. What do you think?

I know Strong did the actual painting in 1989.

I will keep searching for an accurate date in which the lithos were produced/signed.

Regards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGBAjnmruIw

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on November 19, 2012 at 8:39pm

Thank you.

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Permalink Reply by A.B. on December 30, 2012 at 1:09am

Hi Wendy

Have you been able to find out what year MJ signed these lithos?

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by just some dude on November 19, 2012 at 1:58pm

These are terrible forgeries IMO. You can find this same fake sig all over Ebay too. With bids.

Just awful attempts really.

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Permalink Reply by just some dude on November 19, 2012 at 2:08pm

Well, they may be off Ebay now (haven't checked today), but I second what Wendy is saying. I, too, scour Ebay on the reg and have put in a lot of time with MJ's sig. I have passed this sig style over many times on Ebay, b/c it doesn't even remotely look like what I know to be authentic MJ. They're certainly not early, they're definitely not late 80's - 90's (my real comfort zone), and so you do the math...

Juilen's should be above this sort of thing. I find this auction hard to believe, but then again, I offered up a lot of rare stuff (4 items) to them recently, and was told my authentic sig and other items didn't meet their bottom tier requirement for auction. WTF? Whatever. I sold it privately with no fees. You can't trust anybody these days, folks.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Frost on November 19, 2012 at 2:42pm

P.A.A.S. is calling "first dibs!" on Wendy Christine: I have not finished with my study and final opinion on the matter but I have been contacted by collectors on this Michael Jackson autograph collection. I must say I am more then just a little impressed with Wendy Christine Opinion and assessment of these Michael Jackson signatures.

I think she would love sunny Florida and we have an office just about 1 mile from Ft. Lauderdale Beach, and we always treat for lunch.

P.A.A.S. picks Wendy Christine in round 1.

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Permalink Reply by just some dude on November 19, 2012 at 2:47pm

I should have gone to Wendy for my quick opinion a few years ago instead of P.A.A.S. !! Oops. Did I say that?

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Permalink Reply by just some dude on November 19, 2012 at 2:49pm

You're supposed to be a pro MJ authenticator and you need to complete a study on this BS? Priceless!

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Permalink Reply by Wendy Christine on November 19, 2012 at 3:12pm

Wow! Thank you, I'm honored.

PLEASE keep us posted..

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Permalink Reply by Michelle on November 19, 2012 at 2:51pm

I am just sick about this. How can someone knowingly ruin these iconic clothes with this fake signature? The clothes would have sold just fine without. Who would question Michael Lee Bush, MJ's designer? So if Michael Jackson did not sign them, then who did? Why would Julien's Auctions put their reputation on the line like this?

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Permalink Reply by Wendy Christine on November 19, 2012 at 3:09pm

One word. $

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Permalink Reply by sling on November 21, 2012 at 11:55am

Yes, but this is odd since it is an estate auction from people who you would expect to have the real thing (and certainly do have the real thing). It is hard to beleive that they would put things inthat they know are fake. I have heard that some auction houses will include items consigned by others. These items are not from the estate but of similar theme as the estate auction. Perhaps that is how these things got in.

Or, Juliens may assumed these to be real due to the estate they came from?

Did anyone see any fakes in the recent Juliens ron wood estate auction?

If fact, did anyone see any fakes in the Juliens Michael Jackson auction catalog-even though the auction was never held?

An estate auction should give confidence to a buyer-but this is not a MJ estate auction, it is someone elses estate auction- and perhaps even old MJ friends occasionally find themselves broke and ....