Buyers of Liza Minnelli memoir claim it was not signed by hand

"Copies of Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! by the American 80-year-old singer were marketed around the world as hand-signed collectibles, with premium editions costing up to $250. However, some buyers have questioned the uniformity of the signatures and speculated that they were digitally signed by an autopen, a device that replicates handwriting. When you see footage of Liza today in her own documentary, she is far too frail to have signed a handful of books this accurately, let alone hundreds, said autograph collector Gareth Brown, who contacted the Guardian after paying 25 for a signed copy in a Kent bookshop."

"He said he bought the hardback rather than waiting for the cheaper paperback edition because of the signature. I started wondering how many books she must have signed for one to end up in an independent bookshop at an English seaside, he said. I found there was much online discussion about this and many photographs of the signature, all of which look the same. Signature on the copy of Liza Minelli's memoir bought by Gareth Brown. Photograph: Gareth Brown"

"Fans, armed with tracing paper overlays, have turned sleuth and concluded that the signatures in their books are unnaturally identical. According to Justin Steffman, the CEO of autograph authentication service AutographCOA, none of the examples he examined appear to have been signed by a human hand. It has sadly been common for many celebrities to sell signed' merchandise featuring fake signatures, he said. So uncovering that Liza Minnelli's memoir features what looks like autopen-signed autographs was no surprise."

"Fans posting online have said they intend to return their copies. Minnelli is a singer, dancer and actor and daughter of the late Hollywood star Judy Garland. She made her screen debut as a todd"

Signed copies of Liza Minnelli’s memoir were sold worldwide as hand-signed collectibles, with premium editions priced up to $250. Some buyers questioned whether the signatures were genuine because the signatures looked uniform across copies. An autograph collector said the accuracy and volume of signatures seemed unlikely given Minnelli’s frailty. Fans used tracing paper overlays and compared photographs, concluding the signatures were unnaturally identical. An authentication service CEO said examined examples did not appear to be signed by a human hand and noted fake celebrity signatures are common. Some buyers plan to return their copies for refunds.

Read at www.theguardian.com