Backlist: Autopen and Real Signed Copies of Brian Wilson's I Am

An essay about authentic autographs and autopen signatures in the Beach Boys legend's memoir (first published on an old blog)

When I came across a signed copy of Brian Wilson’s autobiography I Am at a bookstore, I was excited by the “signed” sticker on the front of the dust jacket, and I bought it. My excitement quickly turned to disappointment when I realized that the signature on my book looked a lot like signatures on other copies of the memoir.

It turns out that someone (Brian Wilson or his publisher) used an autopen to sign some but not all of the “signed” copies. An autopen is just what it sounds like, a robot that signs autographs. The knowledge that a machine “signed” the books rather than Brian Wilson himself spread quickly online, and now many collectors doubt the authenticity of all signed copies of I Am.

Brian Wilson Autopen Style 1, with an S that looks more like a 5

Brian Wilson Autopen Style 2, where the last letters of Wilson look like SSn

I recently talked with a representative of an autograph authentication company, and he told me that the most autopen masters they’ve seen for one signing is six, but usually there are just a couple. So there may be more Brian Wilson autopen styles than the two I have identified.

However, even without an exact duplicate to compare to, autopen machines typically use constant pressure and an even pen stroke. Real signatures tend to vary a lot in the mechanics of how they are made, not just in the shape.

Real Brian Wilson signatures in I Am. Note the feathering to the end of each word (more visible in Wilson but present in Brian) and the uneven pressure, visible on the back of the page.

In Brian Wilson’s case, his signature is messy and erratic but it often has feathering at the end of his pen strokes, made as the pen is gradually lifted from the paper. He also applies widely varying amounts of pressure. When he signs with a felt pen, the ink will often bleed through in places. Machines don’t work that way.