The personal collection of late rock journalist Al Aronowitz went to auction on Saturday, which included 60 items relating to Bob Dylan. The auction event, called “Celebrating Bob Dylan: The Aronowitz Archive, T Bone Burnett & More,” included a 1983 Fender Telecaster that Dylan played, handwritten lyrics to “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and a 1968 original oil painting by Dylan. The Aronowitz collection sold in total for $1.5 million.
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Among the items was an early draft of “Mr. Tambourine Man,” a song which appeared on the 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. The typewritten and edited draft sold for $508,000. According to a report from Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan typed up “Mr. Tambourine Man” in 1964. At the time, he was crashing on Aronowitz’s couch in New Jersey. Aronowitz found the crumpled up draft in a trash can after Dylan left, but, apparently, after Aronowitz died in 2005, his family had trouble locating the papers.
“This was family lore,” said Aronowitz’s son Myles in December. “My father talked about it, but he had no idea where they were. He thought he lost them or someone stole them. It took us years going through the archives folder by folder to find them.”
[RELATED: Iconic Telecaster Played Onstage at Bob Dylan’s Seminal Newport Performance Is for Sale]
Early Draft of Bob Dylan Lyrics to “Mr. Tambourine Man” Brings in Huge Amount at Auction
Following the auction, Myles Aronowitz released a statement on behalf of his family. “My family and I are thrilled with the auction,” he said. “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.”
In addition to the lyrics, Telecaster, and oil painting, the archive also included sketches Bob Dylan drew on a Plaza Hotel notepad. Also, detailed written observations from Aronowitz that he took of Dylan recording Doug Sahm & Band in 1972.
As for the other items, the Telecaster sold for $222,250. The lyrics to “Blowin’ in the Wind” sold for $44,450, while the painting sold for $260,000. Overall, the early “Mr. Tambourine Man” draft seemed to be one of the most coveted items, selling for much more than the others.
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