From a mustache comb to extravagant stage costumes, personal items belonging to the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury will get auctioned in September allowing fans to purchase memorabilia once owned by one of the world’s most famous rock stars.
Some 1,500 items, including handwritten lyrics, art, and collectibles from Mercury’s London home, Garden Lodge, looked after by his close friend Mary Austin since his death from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991, will be available for purchase at the auction.
🎤 1,500 objects curated by the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, ranging from 19th-century French paintings to his bedside telephone, will be sold off by his friend and executor Mary Austinhttps://t.co/Rhf8IZnfc9
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 26, 2023
They will go on public display for the first time in a month-long summer exhibition at Sotheby’s in London before being sold in six separate auctions, each dedicated to a different aspect of the singer’s life.
“For many years now, I have had the joy and privilege of living surrounded by all the wonderful things that Freddie sought out and so loved. But the years have passed, and the time has come for me to take the difficult decision to close this very special chapter in my life,” Austin said in a statement.
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“It was important to me to do this in a way that I felt Freddie would have loved, and there was nothing he loved more than an auction,” she emphasized.
Which items will be auctioned?
Among the items for sale are Mercury’s crown and regal cloak, worn for the “God Save The Queen” finale during the singer’s last tour with Queen in 1986, with an auction estimate of GBP 60,000 – 80,000 pounds (USD 74,838–99,784).
Handwritten manuscript working lyrics for “We Are The Champions” have an estimate of GBP 200,000–300,000 pounds, while those for “Killer Queen” have a price tag of GBP 50,000–70,000 pounds.
There is also a Tiffany & Co. silver mustache comb (GBP 400 – 600), pink star-shaped glasses (GBP 2,000–4,000), as well as notebooks of Mercury’s drawings, including one depicting objects at Garden Lodge (GBP 2,000- 3,000).
Sale highlights will go on tour in New York, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong before the main London exhibition.