Bob Dylan’s typewritten drafts for his 1965 song Mr Tambourine Man sold for more than £400,000 at auction on Saturday.
The two yellow sheets of paper contain three progressive drafts of the lyrics with annotations on the third draft of the song.
They went under the hammer in Nashville, Tennessee, with an estimated price tag of $400,000 to $600,000, eventually selling for $508,000 (£417,000).
The lyrical drafts were among 60 items that were up for sale in the dedicated auction for the singer at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, with 50 pieces from the personal collection of American music journalist Al Aronowitz.
In March 1964, Aronowitz awoke to find Dylan, then 22, asleep on his sofa and the lyrics to Mr Tambourine Man crumpled up in his bin.
He had spent the night writing and rewriting his new song on a typewriter at Aronowitz’s home in New Jersey before discarding the early drafts.
A 1968 oil painting created and signed by Dylan went for $260,000. The artwork, which depicts a figure in bold colours and a cubist style, was produced by the American songwriter at the beginning of his artistic endeavours after his first wife, Sara, gave him oil paints for his 27th birthday.
The executive director and co-founder of Julien’s Auctions, Martin Nolan, described it as a “fantastic auction with outstanding sales”.
Nolan added: “We’re honoured to highlight this truly unique collection with so many historic Bob Dylan items from the grandfather of rock journalism, Al Aronowitz.
“Today’s white glove auction just reinforces the extraordinary impact and everlasting love that people have for Dylan, which transcends generations.”
Among the other high value lots was a 1983 Fender Telecaster electric guitar that was owned and played by Dylan before he gave it to famed amplifier technician and musician Cesar Diaz.
The instrument surpassed its estimate of $80,000 to $120,000 to sell for $222,250.
A number of sketches by Dylan also soared past their estimated price tags, including one of a hand on a memo pad from the Plaza hotel in New York City.
It was expected to sell for $1,500 to $2,500 but was eventually sold for $88,900.
A Levi’s denim jacket hand embellished with velvet, lace and other patches worn by the singer in the 1987 musical drama film Hearts of Fire went for $25,400.
The sale also included a 1963 handbill from his 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 $1.5m in sales, according to Julien’s Auctions.
