A collection of memorabilia from unforgettable Queen leader Freddie Mercury will be exhibited and auctioned off at a replica of his London home, overseen by his close friend Mary Austin .
Explore the private world of Freddie Mercury
Starting Friday, devoted fans of the singer will be able to view thousands of items in his possession, from handwritten lyrics to personal memorabilia. Garden houses in London were meticulously reproduced to accommodate these objects.
Mary Austin retained the assets after Mercury’s death from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991. Most of them will be shown to the public for the first time at Sotheby’s for a month.
Several of the items will then be auctioned off, with prices ranging from £40 to millions of pounds. David MacDonald, Sotheby’s sole head of auctions in London, said the arrangement of objects in the gallery was designed to evoke the experience of sharing a space with Freddie at home.
Freddie Mercury’s Treasure Opens to the Public
The focus of the auction will be Mercury’s prized black Yamaha piano, valued at £2-3 million ($2.5-3.8 million). In 1975, Mercury used this instrument to compose Queen’s famous song “Bohemian Rhapsody”.
Mary Austin describes the piano as an extension of Mercury himself, an instrument of his creativity. The musicians keep the piano in impeccable condition, preventing anyone from leaving a cigarette or glass on it.
In addition to the piano, the auction will also include other iconic items from the singer, including the crown and cape worn by the Queen on her final tour in 1986 and a silver beard comb from Tiffany & Co.
Auction of manuscripts and memorabilia
Fans will also have the chance to bid for handwritten lyrics to some of Queen’s most famous songs. The manuscript for We Are Champions is estimated at £200,000-£300,000, and The Killer Queen is estimated at £50,000-£70,000.
This unique sale will offer fans of Freddie Mercury the opportunity to acquire a tangible piece of the icon’s legacy and give them insight into his private and artistic life.