Bob Dylan has issued a rare public statement to apologise for using a machine to duplicate his signature on books and artworks since 2019.
The star said he regretted making an “error of judgment” in allowing the works to be sold as hand-signed.
He said he had started using an autopen after developing vertigo in 2019.
The issue came to light when fans who bought $600, limited-edition copies of Dylan’s book The Philosophy of Modern Song compared photos of his signature.
The publisher, Simon & Schuster, initially refused requests for refunds, assuring buyers that the signatures were legitimate and validated by a “letter of authenticity”.
After continued pressure, they admitted the books contained a “penned replica” of the star’s autograph, and offered full refunds to everyone who had bought one of the 900 “hand-signed” editions.
