Two handwritten lyrics with in-progress notes for David Bowie classics will be sold next week. The words for Rock N Roll Suicide and Suffragette City from The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars could raise over £100,000.
David Bowie’s 1972 album, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, is considered his best by many fans.
The singer became an alter ego in costume and makeup. That, and the classically catchy pop songs he performed, made him both hugely popular and very challenging. It is archetypal Bowie.
Bowie wrote and used these words while recording the album at Trident Studio in Soho, London.
The seller bought the sheet in the 1980s. It was loaned to the V&A Musuem for their 2013 Bowie show, their most successful ever exhibition.
The sheet is accompanied by the seller’s letter of provenance, dating them to the album sessions.
The lyrics are written on both sides of a sheet of lined paper. Crossings out and changes show Bowie crafting the words he would commit to tape.
Rock N Roll Suicide is on the other side of the sheet.
Omega Auctions manager, Dan Muscatelli-Hampson says: “There are two real cult favourites in the wonderful David Bowie oeuvre and Suffragette City has been described as one of his very best.
“It is an incredible artefact to have and to hold and it is sure to excite the many millions of Bowie fans around the world, just as the Starman lyrics did.”
the lyrics to starman were sold for £200,000 last year. They surpassed their estimate by a factor of five.
The sale takes place on Tuesday, December 5.
Bowie memorabilia is highly desirable. The singer owned a large collection of it himself and was known to buy back from fans.
A guitar played by the singer, born David Jones, on the Serious Moonlight tour realised $162,500 in 108. His custom-made record player made around £190,000 at auction in 2016.
