50 Years Of Punk Sale Features Sex Pistols and The Damned Handwritten Lyrics

Bonhams' 50 Years Of Punk dedicated auction next week will focus on artefacts from bands such as the Sex Pistols, The Clash, the Ramones, The Damned, and Blondie.

Running April 20-30 online, the sale will feature items from the collections of Brian James, Julian Temple, Andrew Czezowski, Susan Carrington and Toby Mott.

Of particular interest are the original handwritten lyrics for New Rose, 1976, by Brian James, co-founder and guitarist of The Damned (estimate £8,000-£10,000). New Rose was the first single to be released by a British punk band. The phone numbers on the reverse of the lyric sheet refer to Ron Watts who was a punk promoter who organised gigs at the 100 Club, Jake Riviera who ran Stiff Records, and Ian Grant, who was also a promoter who went on to manage Big Country.

Other highlights include:

• items from the Julien Temple Collection, including a Pretty Vacant promotional poster for the Sex Pistols (1977), signed by the band's documentary director Temple on the reverse (estimate: £800-£1,200)
• Sideburns Fanzine issue No.1, 1977, with the insert This Is A Chord... Now Form A Band (estimate: £800-£1,200) from the collection of British artist, designer, and Punk historian Toby Mott
• items from the collection of Andrew Czezowski and Susan Carrington, founders of The Roxy, including an original flyer for Roxy Club, April 1977, printed on pink paper, black ink, featuring The Cortinas, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Buzzcocks, Chelsea, and The Adverts (estimate: £800-£1,200)

"Be it nostalgia from those who were there, or younger collectors wanting an authentic piece of music history, there has been a huge surge in interest in punk relics," said Fred Lawton, Head of Sale.