The Piano Played By Freddie Mercury Was A Star Lot At A London Auction:
More than 1,400 of Freddie Mercury’s personal things, like his colorful stage outfits, handwritten drafts of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” as well as the baby grand piano he used to write Queen’s biggest hits, will be shown for free at Sotheby’s London before they are sold.
Since the singer’s death in 1991, his close companion Mary Austin has kept his huge collection of personal items within his west London home, where they have not been touched for 30 years.
Mercury’s Yamaha G2 Was Expected To Sell For Between £2 Million And £3 Million Within Auction:
Mercury’s Yamaha G2, which he bought within 1975 and had shipped from Japan to England, is expected to sell for between £2 million and £3 million when it goes up for auction in September. It was the instrument he utilized to write the classic song “Bohemian Rhapsody” the same year.
Mercury’s gold and silver records, fancy stage outfits, and personal Polaroid photos, hip flasks, as well as a travel Scrabble board that he took on tour are all on display at the free exhibition.
Thomas Williams Stated That Freddie Was A Hoarder He Didn’t Throw Anything Away:
“Freddie was a hoarder he didn’t throw anything away,” stated Thomas Williams, a director at Sotheby’s. “His belongings tell us a lot about the man, from his childhood to the end of his life.”
Mercury’s longtime partner, Mary Austin, said that he loved the piano so much that he thought of it as an extension of himself as well as kept it in perfect shape.
“He Never Smoked Or Put A Glass On The Piano,” Austin Claimed. He Ensured No One Else Did.”:
In a Sotheby’s news statement, Austin said, “He never smoked at the piano as well as put a glass upon top of it. And he made sure no one else did either.”
Mercury tried out calling the song “Mongolian Rhapsody” before crossing it out. The handwritten draft of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which shows this, is likely to sell for 800,000 to 1.2 million pounds ($1 million to $1.5 million).
Mercury’s love of theater and performing came through in a lot of the hits. There were his sequined, skin-tight catsuits, leather jackets, as well as the fancy red cape and crown he wore for his last Queen show in 1986, in addition to his collection of Japanese silk kimonos.
Other things were more private and personal, like a school book from the 1960s with the singer’s name, Fred Bulsara, when he and his family had just moved to the UK from Zanzibar.
Visitors could look at detailed sitting plans and recipes for Mercury’s dinner parties, in addition to handwritten invites to his renowned birthday parties, such as one from 1977 that told visitors to “Dress to Kill!”
Mercury’s art collection, which includes pieces through Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, as well as Marc Chagall, in addition to his old furniture and many figurines of cats, are also for sale.
With the many things, the auction house’s beautiful building in central London has become a shrine to Mercury, alongside all 15 of its halls telling his story.
Items Such As Mercury’s Chopsticks And Sewing Kit Start At Less Than 100 Pounds:
Williams said that this week-long show is the first time that Sotheby’s has opened its full studio space to the public. He also said that it might be the company’s “most democratic sale,” since items like Mercury’s chopsticks as well as sewing kit start at less than 100 pounds ($125) each.
Sotheby’s thinks that libraries and Mercury fans from all over the world will be among the buyers. When asked if the rare items might be better off in a museum instead of being sold one at a time, Williams said that Mercury ” did not want a stuffy museum.”
The Individuals Are Able To Watch More Than 1,200 Other Items From His School Days:
Mercury’s famous piano will be upon show at Sotheby’s from August 4 to September 5. People will be able to see it in person alongside more than 1,200 other items from his school days to when he was at the top of his career.
One of the best things is a 1941 Wurlitzer piano that is lit up in different colors and is called “an icon within its own right” by Williams. Mercury moved it surrounding his house before putting it in the “beating heart” of Garden Lodge, his kitchen.
Polaroids of Mercury posing with one of his cats upon his lap are part of a group of “really candid, intimate moments” that are being sold as a single lot. In another pair of Polaroids, the star is sitting down in front of a huge fry-up, and a picture taken soon after shows the plate is now empty.
