Leonard Cohen’s Poems, Lyrics, Locket of Hair and Other Personal Mementos Head to Auction
Songs of Leonard Cohen LP Art
On Friday, February 28, fans of the beloved musician and poetic force Leonard Cohen will have the rare opportunity to bid on a piece of the artist’s personal collection when a new auction begins at 10 a.m. P.T. in Los Angeles. Before the first paddle is raised, interested parties and admirers of music history can closely examine the expansive catalog of items on display at juliensauctions.com.
Considered “the largest group of privately held collections of the legendary poet, singer and songwriter’s archival material and personal effects ever to come to auction,” via the auction description. The sprawling collection presents an up close and personal look at Cohen’s life, as the auction highlights an array of items offered by the musician’s one-time lover and collaborator Anjani Thomas, friend Aviva Layton.
Included are handwritten drafts of song lyrics, poems, typed manuscripts, and personal letters, complete with sketches that showcase the musician’s multifaceted talents. “The [official Cohen] archives vacuumed up anything that came in the market rather quickly,” Thomas commented. “So there isn’t a lot available, nor will there be. So this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.”
Handwritten verses of “O Heretic O Infidel” and other religious mementos, such as a small metal case used to house parchment with verses from the Torah, known as Mesusahs, a 1.5-inch brass menora–gifted to Layton by Cohen during her first trip to Hydra in 1965, photos and other items that nod toward the musician’s spirituality.
As for the obscure, “A gold tone oval metal locket with faux green stones and pearls” has been listed. The necklace “was a birthday gift from Leonard Cohen to Anjani Thomas, who kept a lock of Leonard Cohen’s hair inside.”
On the locket, Thomas said, “We were cutting his hair one day, and he had just given me a locket for my birthday. And I thought it was a traditional thing to put a snippet of hair in a locket. It’s a very olden-times-custom.”
Additional collection highlights include a page from Cohen’s 1961 novel The Spice Box of Earth, featuring handwritten revisions and never-before-seen poems, one of which is believed to be the inspiration before “Bird on the Wire” and other expressions of his creativity.
Cohen’s collection is the latest to go to auction, following MusiCares and Julien’s joint unveiling of the Grateful Dead assemblage of historic items yesterday. Christine McVey’s personal items and those of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and Bootsy Collins have previously hit the market.
To view the Cohen catalog, visit www.juliensauctions.com.
