The original handwritten lyrics of an early draft of Bob Dylan’s hit Mr. Tambourine Man have sold at auction for $US508,000 ($AUD815,000).
The two yellowed sheets, featuring three typewritten drafts of the song alongside Dylan’s handwritten notes, went under the hammer at a sale organised by Julien’s Auctions at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday.
Believed to have been typed in March 1964 at the home of trailblazing rock journalist Al Aronowitz, the drafts capture Dylan’s creative process, as he spent the night refining the lyrics on Aronowitz’s typewriter.
The auction, which generated nearly $1.5 million in total sales, also featured 60 pieces of music history, including 50 from Aronowitz’s personal archive.
“My family and I are thrilled with the auction,” said Al’s son Myles Aronowitz. “These items were evidence of the unique and intimate place my father had in musical and cultural history with his good friend Bob Dylan, and all the other iconic artists of his day.
“We’re grateful to Julien’s for helping to bring my father’s legacy and cultural significance back to the public eye. Julien’s Auctions did extensive research, and committed huge resources and expertise to the promotional work necessary to bring these artifacts to a successful auction.”
Other highlights included a signed original 1968 oil painting by Dylan, which sold for $260,000 (£213,000), and a 1983 Fender Telecaster guitar owned and played by Dylan fetched $222,250 (£182,000).
The sale comes alongside the release of the biographical film A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet as the legendary singer-songwriter.
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