Rare Bob Dylan Manuscripts Fetch Over Four Hundred Thousand Pounds at Auction

Bob Dylan‘s Legacy Lives On

A Glimpse into the Mind of a Musical Genius

Bob Dylan’s drafts for his iconic song Mr Tambourine Man have sold for more than £400,000 at auction. The two yellow sheets of paper contain three progressive drafts of the lyrics with annotations made by Dylan himself on the third draft.

The lyrical drafts were among 60 items up for sale in a dedicated auction for the singer at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. These items came from the personal collection of American music journalist Al Aronowitz, who was an “incredible connector” who helped introduce Dylan to US poet and writer Allen Ginsberg and the Beatles.

A 1968 oil painting created and signed by Dylan also met its estimate, selling for £213,499. The artwork depicts a figure in bold colours and cubist style and was produced by Dylan at the beginning of his artistic endeavours after receiving oil paints from his first wife Sara as a gift on his 27th birthday.

A Collection of Rare Items

The sale included many other rare items, including:

• A 1983 Fender Telecaster electric guitar owned and played by Dylan before he gave it to famed amplifier technician and musician Cesar Diaz. The instrument surpassed its estimate, selling for £182,501.

• A number of sketches by Dylan that soared past their estimated price tags, including one of a hand on a memo pad from The Plaza hotel in New York City.

• A Levi’s denim jacket hand embellished with velvet, lace and other patches worn by Dylan in the 1987 musical drama film Hearts Of Fire. The jacket sold for £20,857.

• A 1963 handbill from Dylan’s first major headline performance at Town Hall in New York City, early vintage photographs, and a signed harmonica.

The collection of 60 items brought in nearly £1.2 million in sales, according to Julien’s Auctions.