An original lyric sheet from late rock icon David Bowie is set to be auctioned this month. The single piece of paper with the lyrics to Bowie's 1972 hit "The Jean Genie" has already fetched an opening bid of £30,000 (a little over $56,000 Canadian).
A listing from auction house Paddle8 bills the piece as "a rare set of complete lyrics for 'The Jean Genie,' the 18 lines handwritten by David Bowie in black ballpoint pen on a single page of cream lined notepaper. Titled, dated, and signed by Bowie, the lyrics were gifted to Neal Peters, who was then President of the Original David Bowie Fan Club in the USA."
Paddle8 also revealed that this is the only set of complete handwritten Bowie lyrics to have gone to auction. "With characteristic foresight, Bowie is believed to have kept almost all of his original lyrics, notes, and manuscripts, creating an archive that spanned his entire career," the auction house continued. "As a result, major pieces of memorabilia rarely come on the market, and only a handful of key items have sold at auction over the years."
The lyric sheet is expected to fetch £35,000 and £50,000 before the auction ends on March 31 at 1 p.m. EDT. You can keep track of the listing here.
A listing from auction house Paddle8 bills the piece as "a rare set of complete lyrics for 'The Jean Genie,' the 18 lines handwritten by David Bowie in black ballpoint pen on a single page of cream lined notepaper. Titled, dated, and signed by Bowie, the lyrics were gifted to Neal Peters, who was then President of the Original David Bowie Fan Club in the USA."
Paddle8 also revealed that this is the only set of complete handwritten Bowie lyrics to have gone to auction. "With characteristic foresight, Bowie is believed to have kept almost all of his original lyrics, notes, and manuscripts, creating an archive that spanned his entire career," the auction house continued. "As a result, major pieces of memorabilia rarely come on the market, and only a handful of key items have sold at auction over the years."
The lyric sheet is expected to fetch £35,000 and £50,000 before the auction ends on March 31 at 1 p.m. EDT. You can keep track of the listing here.