David Bowie’s handwritten lyrics to The Jean Genie are up for auction at Paddle8.
The lot is offered with a reserve of $50,000 ahead of a close date of February 14.
Released in 1972, The Jean Genie was the lead single from Bowie's sixth studio album, Aladdin Sane.
The Jean Genie is one of Bowie's most popular songs
He wrote the sinewy main riff in the New York apartment of model Cynthia Fox.
Bowie gifted the 1972 lyrics to the head of the Original David Bowie Fan Club. It’s unknown if they are original or a later copy, but they are in Bowie’s own hand.
The auction house explains: “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.
“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.
“This is the only set of complete handwritten lyrics to ever have come to auction.”
The lyrics last sold for £18,750 ($27,000) at auction in 2013.
That figure is likely to have advanced significantly following Bowie’s death in January 2016.
A rare acetate copy of Hunky Dory (1971), featuring various demo versions of songs that would appear on the album, is also offered with an estimate of $30,000.
It features some alternate tracks, including a song called Bombers that did not appear on the finished album.
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