Iconic Beat Generation Manuscript Set for Multi-Million Pound Auction
The original, typewritten draft scroll of Jack Kerouac's seminal novel On the Road, measuring an impressive 37 metres in length, is poised to go under the hammer at Christie's auction house in New York this March. This extraordinary literary artefact, which Kerouac produced in a frenetic three-week typing session in April 1951, carries a substantial sale estimate ranging from £1.8 million to £2.9 million.
A Defining Document of American Counterculture
Kerouac crafted this first draft by ingeniously taping together sheets of tracing paper, allowing him to type continuously without the interruption of changing pages. The novel, which underwent extensive revision before its eventual publication in 1957, became a cornerstone of postwar American literature. It powerfully encapsulated the Beat Generation's ethos, challenging societal norms, materialism, and conformity.
"This is the original and only scroll for the first draft of Kerouac's masterpiece," stated Heather Weintraub, a specialist in Christie's books and manuscripts department. "It's widely considered to be the most iconic artefact of the Beat Generation and one of the most celebrated artefacts in American literature. This scroll is one of the most important literary documents still in private hands."
Weintraub further noted the scroll's unique physicality, explaining that when unrolled, it visually resembles a road. The text contains no paragraphs or chapters and features the real names of the characters, which were later changed at the publisher's request.
Part of the Extensive Jim Irsay Collection
The scroll serves as a centrepiece of the Jim Irsay Collection, one of the most comprehensive private assemblages of music, literary, film, and sports memorabilia ever compiled. Irsay, who passed away last year, was renowned as the long-time owner and CEO of the American football team, the Indianapolis Colts. Over many years, he built a collection featuring manuscripts, instruments, and cultural items connected to pivotal moments in 20th-century culture, frequently loaning them for public exhibition.
The On the Road scroll will be offered at a live Christie's auction on 12th March, as part of a series of four sales drawn from Irsay's collection. It will be accompanied by the original typescript scroll of Kerouac's The Dharma Bums, which has an estimate of £218,000 to £364,000.
Controversy and Hopes for Public Access
This auction echoes a previous controversy from 2001, when the manuscript was last offered for sale. Carolyn Cassady, the former wife of Neal Cassady (the real-life inspiration for the character Dean Moriarty), strongly criticised the sale, labelling it "blasphemy". She argued the scroll belonged in a public library, not a private collection, stating, "Jack loved public libraries. If they auction it, anybody rich could buy it and keep it out of sight."
Reflecting these concerns, Weintraub expressed a personal hope that a public institution would acquire the scroll, ensuring it remains accessible to all. "I personally hope that a public institution will buy it so it can be seen by everyone," she said. "But we can also hope that if someone [privately] buys it they will follow Jim Irsay's example and show it publicly – he toured it around for years."
Exhibition and Additional Highlights
Prior to the auctions, nearly 400 items from the Jim Irsay Collection will be exhibited free to the public at Christie's Rockefeller Plaza galleries from 6th to 12th March. Other notable highlights from the 12th March sale include:
- Paul McCartney's handwritten lyrics for Hey Jude.
- An affidavit filed by McCartney in 1970 to dissolve the Beatles, featuring annotations by John Lennon.
- Sylvester Stallone's handwritten Rocky script notebook.
- Jim Morrison's personal journal.
This auction presents a rare opportunity to acquire a piece of literary history that continues to resonate with its raw energy and cultural significance.
