Handwritten Elton John/Bernie Taupin lyrics set to fetch over $2M in auction

Legendary songwriter Bernie Taupin's hand written lyrics are set to be put on the auction block by his ex-wife Maxine Taupin in Los Angeles early next month.

Bernie and Maxine were married from 1971-76 and she was the famous 'seamstress for the band' and the inspiration for the '71 hit, Tiny Dancer. 

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Ms Taupin said she's not sure how she wound up with the lyrics after the divorce. 

'You don't just normally sit in a room and divide things up, but it might have happened like that,' she said. 'I don't really remember the moment. But some of them were framed on a wall in my home and other ones were in a bank vault, perfectly preserved.' 

The set of lyrics are estimated to fetch over $2 million New Zealand Dollars when it goes under the hammer on December 9th in LA, with individual songs said to be between $46,000 and $250,000 respectively.

When chatting to Rolling Stone, Ms Taupin mentioned she has not spoke to her ex-husband in many years and last saw Elton John in concert in 2004. 

Ms Taupin has largely kept a low-profile since her split with Bernie and has decided the time is right to part way with the lyrics, in the wake of the success of the Elton John biopic, Rocketman. 

Other lyrics that will feature in the auction are Your Song (1970), Bennie and the Jets (1973), Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting (1973) and The Border Song (1970).