Bob Dylan is considered is as one of the greats of the music industry. He went on and snatched multiple awards, and even a Nobel prize, according to reports. This is why the issue weighs more on fans, after knowing that the $599-dollar book they bought wasn't actually hand-signed as advertised. The singer merely used "Autopen" to replicate his signature on several copies.
Bob Dylan's Book
He authored a book called "The Philosophy of Modern Song," and only printed 900 copies of it. Not only was it a limited edition, but it was also made special by having Bob Dylan's handwritten autograph on it. This made the book particularly pricey, almost reaching $600. Of course, fans would post about it via social media, which led to the uncovering of the truth.
They noticed that the signatures were not only similar but identical. Simon & Schuster, the publisher of the book, was forced to admit that it was indeed, not as advertised. They stated that it really was Bob Dylan's signature, but it was in a penned replica form. They aim to correct the issue by issuing refunds to those who purchased the book.
— Simon & Schuster (@simonschuster) November 20, 2022
According to Gizmodo, one user on Twitter responded to the publisher's tweet, sharing an image of a document certifying that the book was "something very special." As we know now, that is not the case. Bob Dylan posted an apology via Facebook, a week after the issue surfaced.
The Apology
He started by saying that he hand-signed every art print over the years, and the problem only came in 2019. He's had vertigo, which causes a person's environment to feel like it's moving or spinning. This went on during the pandemic, which also affected his "signing sessions," which take five people to help him out.
With vertigo, the pandemic preventing others from helping, and deadlines coming, he had no choice but to resort to other ways. Someone suggested that he use an "Autopen," as he was assured that t was normal in the art and literary world. He stated that he is already working with his publisher to fix the error.
What is an Autopen?
"Autopen" is actually a specific brand. It's a machine that can replicate a signature using a writing instrument. It can be used on any surface that can be signed by hand. All it needs is an SD card or a removable drive. Users can even change the pen pressure and speed. It can easily be used for autographs the way Bob Dylan did.
The company behind "Autopen" has been operational for 65 years. It claims to be able to hold any writing tool a hand can, from ballpoint pens to crayons. It's not just flat surfaces as well in terms of the writing area. It claims that the machine is also capable of writing on baseballs, baseball bats, and mitts.
With these features, many "limited edition" items or merchandise can easily be signed using the machine. Hopefully, artists won't opt for a machine-penned autograph when fans expect a personally signed copy or item.
