Rare Bob Dylan painting sold for nearly $200K at auction

Rare Bob Dylan painting sold for nearly $200K at auction
Bob Dylan painting, courtesy RR Auction

A painting that Bob Dylan created while living in Woodstock, New York, in the ’60s has brought nearly $200,000 at an auction held one day before his 83rd birthday.

At the May 23 sale, held by RR Auctions, the colorful abstract painting — featuring the outline of a bull’s head and an image of a red man in a wide-brimmed hat — went for $196,156. It had been anticipated to sell for $100,000.

Dylan originally gave the painting to a Woodstock woman named Sandy LePanto in exchange for LePanto creating an astrology chart for him. The painting was rediscovered as part of LePanto’s ex-husband’s estate. 

Another notable item sold at the auction was a rare recording of Jimi Hendrix performing with Little Richard at a concert in Boston in 1965. That went for $51,644.

The next Bob Dylan auction item to keep an eye on is the ’65 Fender Telecaster he played on Blonde on Blonde and on his 1966 tour with The Band, then known as The Hawks. On each night of that tour, Dylan was booed by audiences who were upset that he’d “gone electric.” The Band’s Robbie Robertson later used the guitar at various live gigs, on The Band’s albums Music From Big Pink and Stage Fright, and on sessions for artists like Joni Mitchell and Ringo Starr.

The guitar will be auctioned off May 29 by Julien’s Auctions and is expected to bring up to $700,000.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.