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Dylan Draft Lyrics Head To Auction
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Articles
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Active Days
111
The Topic
A working lyric draft for Bob Dylan's "I'm Not There" was found inside a first-edition copy of Allen Ginsberg's Ankor Wat formerly owned by Sally Grossman, a close associate of Dylan and wife of manager Albert Grossman. The draft is associated with Dylan's 1967 work with The Band and is being offered through Omega Auctions with an estimated value of £20,000 to £40,000. The story combines unusual provenance with continuing collector interest in documents that show how unreleased or later-released songs developed.
First Article: 03/31/26
Latest Article: 07/19/26
Summary
- A torn draft page for "I'm Not There" was found inside a first-edition copy of Allen Ginsberg's Ankor Wat.
- The book's reported provenance runs through Sally Grossman, wife of Dylan manager Albert Grossman, after Ginsberg gave it to her in 1969.
- The draft is linked to Dylan's 1967 work with The Band and the Basement Tapes period, although the song was officially released decades later.
- Omega Auctions has estimated the item's value at £20,000 to £40,000.
- The page reportedly contains typed lyrics and handwritten amendments, making it a working document rather than a finished publication.
- The discovery illustrates demand for music memorabilia with direct links to an artist's creative process and personal network.
History
The update mainly clarifies the song’s provenance and framing, adding Albert Grossman to the ownership context and tying the draft more explicitly to the Basement Tapes period. It does not materially change the core auction story or valuation.
The story adds auction timing and slightly sharper provenance details, including that the book was reportedly given to Sally Grossman by Ginsberg in 1969 and later sold from her estate. The manuscript's context is otherwise unchanged.
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