Bob Dylan's lyrics on paper and more gems from the music world are up for grabs

A number of gems from the music world are up for grabs in an auction in June, including Bob Dylan's handwritten lyrics to Lay Lady Lay, a cheeky self-portrait by Kurt Cobain and five guitars designed by the late Eddie Van Halen.

Pop icon Britney Spears' hand-written letters to her high school boyfriend will also be up for sale at the Music Icons event at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills.

Apart from that, lyrics to Dylan's 1969 song, scribbled by the artist in pencil on a sheet of notepaper from a lumber company, are valued at $500,000-600,000.

"That's the most expensive item in the auction in June. It's with all the hand notations from Bob Dylan, including chord notations," said Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien's.

Moreover, Kurt Cobain's self-portrait is a caricature in black felt pen that he drew in 1992 during a tour in Singapore for his punk band Nirvana's Nevermind album.

Spears' love letters addressed to her boyfriend Donald "Reg" Jones were inked right before she became a global sensation. They are values at $4,000-6,000.

"It’s sort of part of her pop culture history and part of her journey, if you will," said Nolan.

Five Charvel EVH Art Series electric guitars designed and played by Eddie Van Halen, who died of a stroke in October 2020, are expected to sell for up to $50,000 each.

"He signed each of the guitars. He actually dated the tour that he played each of these individual guitars," said Nolan.

The two-day auction will take place in Beverly Hills from June 12-13.