Bob Dylan Amits to Using 'Autopen' Device to Sign Books - Gizmodo

Growing fan backlash over the eerily similar signatures forced the book’s publisher, Simon & Schuster, to release a statement admitting the autographs weren’t exactly as genuine as purchasers were led to believe.

“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.” Dylan went on to say that while he had previously hand signed every one of his prints over the years, he began requiring assistance in 2019 due to bouts of “vertigo.”.

Autograph Live, a site that tracks the authenticity of celebrity signatures, estimates Simon & Schuster may use a total of 17 different templates for the Dylan Autopen signatures

The recent Autopen revelation has led some, like UK retailer Castle Fine Art, to question the authenticity of their own Dylan signatures

In a statement viewed by Variety, Castle Fine Art said two its its batches of Dylan signed prints were signed using an autopen

“We were informed very recently that during the Covid 19 pandemic Bob Dylan used an autopen to sign several of his print editions, rather than his usual hand signature,” Castle Fine Art said

“We were entirely unaware of autopen on these prints; nevertheless, we sincerely apologize for this very regrettable situation and want to make matters right.” Like Simon & Schuster, Castle Art said it would offer purchasers a full refund.