According to The Star, the collection of early Ozzy Osbourne memorabilia has been bought by the Black Sabbath singer's family just days before it was due to go on sale in Sheffield. The items, including postcards from Ozzy to his parents and lyrics to early Sabbath songs, were scheduled to be auctioned by Sheffield Auction Gallery on September 30th.

But the lots were today withdrawn from sale. Auctioneer Stephen Flintoft revealed every item had been bought by the Osbourne family.

“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,” he said.

Read more at The Star.



According to Antiquestradegazette.com, also in the collection recalling the earliest days of the band, were Earth publicity posters, flyers, hand written song lyrics and photographs.

Stephen Flintoft, specialist music valuer and auctioneer at the Sheffield auction house, says: “Perhaps the most interesting item, among so many, is the handwritten lyrics headed 'by Earth' to the song Changing Phases, a title later changed to Solitude, which featured on the 1971 double platinum Black Sabbath album Master of Reality.”

The saleroom say the collection was saved by a Sheffield resident from a property being demolished in the old London Docklands in the 1980s. It was to be sold as one lot estimated at £2000-3000.

Read more at Antiquestradegazette.com.

Photos courtesy of Sheffield Auction Gallery Facebook.