32 years after Freddie Mercury’s death, the London auction house Sotheby’s is set to auction 1500 items that belonged to him.
These objects have been on display since August 4th at 35 New Bond Street.
The brilliant singer, pianist, and interpreter of “Bohemian Rhapsody” was a prolific collector. He amassed a quantity of valuable furniture, artworks, and decorative items to furnish his famous Georgian residence in Kensington, Garden lodge.
Upon his death, the house passed to his first love, Mary Austin. Now, 32 years later, she has decided to auction 1500 items that, in their own way, tell the story of Freddie Mercury’s life.
Sotheby’s has gone to great lengths to handle this legacy auction. They recreated the main rooms of the artist’s house in their London premises, allowing visitors to experience the atmosphere of his dining room, living room, bar, and studio.
Several tables have been set up to showcase how Freddie Mercury staged his dinners, mixing Chinese porcelain with English silverware and Lalique crystal. He possessed an incredible variety of glasses, including champagne flutes, but he also used little fruit bowls or Sabayon glasses to drink Champagne from, demonstrating his knack for repurposing objects.
He spent hours preparing these tables, and the exhibition also features a series of very intimate manuscripts, including notes on menus and guest lists.
The exhibition really highlights Freddie Mercury’s eclecticism, as he mixed various styles and genres.
It features Japanese prints, romantic paintings by James Tissot, works by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Marc Chagall, 19th-century furniture, Art Nouveau pieces, and numerous cat figurines.
You will be charmed by his silver mustache comb, purchased at Tiffany & Co in 1980, the moment he decided to grow his mustache.
And beyond these collector’s anecdotes, the auction exhibition also displays rare documents and manuscripts that provide a window into Freddie Mercury’s creative process, and allows visitors to see nearly second-by-second the creation of songs like ‘We Are the Champions’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
But he highlight of the auction will undoubtedly be Freddie Mercury’s Yamaha baby grand piano, estimated at 2 to 3 million pounds. This piano was the instrument on which he composed his greatest hits.
His clothes and stage costumes are also up for sale
His everyday and indoor attire are on display, showcasing his passion for kimonos.
There are 50 of them available for sale, starting at £300.
Of course, his iconic stage outfits, tight-fitting jumpsuits and white or multicoloured jackets, are also part of the auction, as well as one of his most extravagant costumes, a replica of the red and white ermine cloak worn by Napoleon Bonaparte during his coronation in 1802. Freddie Mercury had even commissioned a replica of the St Edward crown, used in the coronation of English monarchs since 1661, to go with it.
Freddie Mercury wore it during his legendary performance at Wembley Stadium in 1985, accompanied by the English national anthem, “God Save the Queen”. Click here or on the picture if you want to see the clip on YouTube:
So there is still a little time for you to go have a look at the exhibition and/or register to bid.
And if you do, good luck!
Click here (Sotheby’s Website) for more information.
Helene
