David Bowie naked: Unseen photo of music superstar wearing just a sock and sheet is going up for auction

The bizarre half-naked image of the late rock legend was taken before he was famous and was still using his birth name David Jones. It shows a 15-year-old Bowie smoking a cigarette and appearing to be sitting naked on a chair covered only by a white sheet. The previously unseen picture was snapped by the late pop star Arthur Sharp, lead singer of 1960s UK rock band The Nashville Teens.

Arthur, who enjoyed success with the 1964 top 10 hit ‘Tobacco Road’ died on Christmas Day aged 83. Relatives have now uncovered his incredible collection of music memorabilia which was crammed into his Watford home. Such was the volume, relatives considered taking items to a charity shop, or even the tip, but decided to call in antiques expert Irita Marriott. The rare Bowie photograph is among 81 items being sold which are set to fetch £10,000 when they go under the hammer on June 12.

TV’s Bargain Hunt star Irita, who is handling the sale, said: “I was gobsmacked. It was absolutely amazing. Box after box of incredible music memorabilia was all over the house including an unseen photo of David Bowie taken before he was famous and changed his name. In 1962 he was known as David Jones, 15 years old and a fan of The Nashville Teens. He turned up at gigs and befriended Arthur who was happy to nurture him.

“Arthur took a quirky photo of Bowie with a sheet round his naked body but still wearing a sock sitting on a wooden chair. It offers an early glimpse of a musical icon. That image alone could sell for £600 at auction and the entire collection could achieve £10,000 under the hammer.”

Other items include the original test pressing of Tobacco Road, behind-the-scenes photos, contracts and reel tapes. One letter states the band received a fee of just £65 for a gig in 1973. Another rare item is a 1978 ‘Born Again’ Black Sabbath Warner Brothers acetate LP in near mint condition. It has an estimate of £400-£600.

The collection also includes a stash of pictures of Arthur with his wife Jeanne who was a professional dancer. The couple met on a TV show in 1964 and got married the next year with Jeanne’s sister hosing the wedding reception in her font room. Sadly Jeanne died aged just 57 from brain cancer in 2002.

June, 73, a retired secretary from Watford, said: “Arthur doted on Jeanne. “He kept her ashes in his bedroom and always put photos of her on Facebook on her birthday. When Arthur passed away we had to clear the house and there was so much stuff we didn’t know what to do with it all. Not just music memorabilia. Arthur liked to collect things and Jeanne loved car boot sales. My husband, Terry, wanted to take some of it to the charity shop or skip it. There was so much. Then a friend suggested contacting an auction house. There are rare items including vintage posters from The Star Club in Germany and 800 vinyl records. When he was young Arthur worked in a record shop and DJ Mike Read said Arthur guided his music knowledge by telling him what records to buy.”

The collection will be sold at Irita Marriott Auctioneers and Valuers in Melbourne, Derbyshire on June 12.