In a remarkable event held last week, a wide-ranging assortment of memorabilia linked to the iconic Freddie Mercury went under the hammer. This unique collection featured prized possessions like his cherished baby grand piano and early handwritten song lyrics.
The auction, featuring items contributed by Mary Austin, drew staggering bids, amassing millions of dollars. The star of the show was Mercury’s baby grand piano, the very instrument he used to craft the legendary “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Surpassing all expectations, it was sold for a staggering $2.1 million, a stark contrast to its initial purchase price of roughly $1,200, as disclosed by Austin.
Rare Queen Items Fetch Record Prices
One of the most coveted items, a handwritten draft of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which unveiled Mercury’s original working title as “Mongolian Rhapsody,” was acquired for a sum of $1.7 million. Furthermore, various draft lyric documents, including one containing lyrics for an early rendition of “We Are The Champions,” found new owners.
A historic moment unfolded when Mercury’s silver snake bracelet, prominently featured in the “Bohemian Rhapsody” music video, fetched an astonishing $881,000. This record-breaking sale marked the highest price ever paid for a rock star’s piece of jewelry, surpassing the previous record held by John Lennon’s leather and bead talisman, which sold for $368,000 in 2008.
Another sentimental piece from Mercury’s life, his garden door from his Kensington residence, adorned with heartfelt graffiti expressions of love in multiple languages, was acquired for $521,000. Numerous other items, including stage-worn outfits, artwork, and furniture, also changed hands, each commanding prices in the hundreds of thousands of dollars range.
Brian May Shares Emotional Thoughts On Auction
Adding a personal touch to the proceedings, Brian May took to his social media platform to share his thoughts on the auction. The guitarist posted a poignant photo of his friend strumming a guitar and expressed his feelings:
“Tomorrow, while I’m speaking passionately to Welsh farmers about cows and badgers and bovine TB, Freddie’s most intimate personal effects and writings that were part of what we shared for so many years, will go under the hammer, to be knocked down to the highest bidder and dispersed forever. I can’t look. To us, his closest friends and family, it’s too sad. Thanks, Joyce Moore, for finding the pic. I don’t know the credit.”
In the end, out of the multitude of items available, only 59 items were sold, accumulating an impressive total of $15.4 million. This surpassing of anticipated sums unfolded over a marathon four-and-a-half-hour auction featuring enthusiastic bidders hailing from 61 countries who engaged through various channels, including in-person, online, and phone bidding.
Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s
