PARIS.- Sotheby’s is pleased to announce the sale of a private collection devoted to Jacques Brel (1929-1978) who, thirty years after his death, remains one of the world's most admired singers. This exceptional ensemble has no known equivalent.

This sale brings to life the greatest moments in the career of this towering artiste, via 94 lots including around thirty manuscripts, 7 records, 5 lots devoted to photographs, and around 50 other items. It is estimated between €340,000 to 470,000.

During the Paris Nuit Blanche on Saturday 4 October (6pm – midnight), fans of the songwriting genius will have the chance to watch documentaries, interviews and concerts, and listen (again) to any number of songs that have left their mark on generations of music-lovers.

Highlights of the collection include the squared-paper exercise-book that Brel used to jot down the draft lyrics of his masterpiece Amsterdam, charting his route to the definitive version which earned him France's Grand Prix National du Disque in 1964 (estimate €50,000-70,000); the manuscript for his 1967 musical L’Homme de la Mancha (estimate €20,000-30,000); and Serge Gainsbourg's handwritten dedication to Brel, on his fourth (33RPM vinyl) album, released in 1962 and featuring Les Goemons, Black Trombone, Baudelaire, Quand Tu T’y Mets and Ce Grand Méchant Vous. These two giants of French post-war songwriting met up around 1959, early in their careers.

Brel's poetic genius oozes from every page of the working manuscripts (with crossings out, corrections, and annotations) for some of his most powerful songs, like Ces Gens-Là, Mathilde, Madeleine, Il Neige sur Liège, La Chanson de Jacky, Les Bonbons 67, La Chanson des Vieux Amants, Au Suivant and Le Tango Funèbre. Other songs, like Les Vieux, Grand-Mère, Titine, La Cathédrale and Les Jardins du Casino, are sketched out.

To the certain delight of fans, admirers, collectors and music historians, the collection also contains souvenirs of Brel's career and artistic friendships – such as the road maps of his tours from 1961 until 1966; the film of his last concert at Olympia, on 1st November, 1966; the diary of his final European tour in 1966; photographs of Brel in concert and with other celebrities like Georges Brassens, Guy Béart, Dalida and Raymond Devos; precious vinyl records (45 or 33RPM); rare master versions of recordings and interviews; two of his celebrated guitars, notably his magnificent Höfner; film scripts; and concert posters – including the poster for his concert at the Théâtre des 3 Baudets in 1959, which launched his career in France.

Personal souvenirs include a dossier on flying, something Brel became passionately interested in as early as 1964; press-books; his pipe; and his Montblanc pen.

The collection includes 32 complete manuscripts – 6 of them unpublished – and various drafts, sketches and notes.