Ozzy Osbourne’s family buys up complete auction lot of early Black Sabbath memorabilia

Sale would have included postcards to Osbourne’s mother and handwritten lyrics

An auction lot of early Black Sabbath memorabilia has been bought by Ozzy Osbourne’s family to stop the items reaching private hands.

Sheffield Auction Gallery had been due to sell the memorabilia from Black Sabbath’s earliest days from 1968-73 on September 30 for an estimated £3,000.

But gallery spokesman Stephen Flintoft confirmed that Osbourne’s family had bought it all to stop the auction happening.

Advertisement

Items in the auction included postcards sent from on tour to Osbourne’s mother Lillian at her home in Birmingham, publicity photos from when the band played under their previous name Earth, tour flyers and posters plus handwritten lyrics for songs including ‘Changing Phases’, which eventually became the song ‘Solitude’ from Black Sabbath’s 1971 album ‘Masters Of Reality’.

The items were discovered in the 1980s by a Black Sabbath fan living in the Docklands area of East London, which were found when his flat was being renovated.

Flintoft told The Sheffield Star: ““The items have been sold by private treaty, for an undisclosed sum, to the Osbourne family, ensuring that this important piece of hard rock musical history remains intact. We received a huge amount of pre-auction interest, from all over the world from fans, collectors and the press. It has been one of the most enquired about lots we have ever had in auction, particularly on social media.”

Black Sabbath are currently on their farewell tour, with the UK leg ending with a hometown show at Birmingham Genting Arena on February 4.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories