Sotheby’s X Freddie Mercury – a fantastic auction! September 2023

Freddie Mercury's piano was acquired for two million euros, the manuscript of "Bohemian Rhapsody" for 1.6 million euros:

At Sotheby's in London, this Wednesday, the long-awaited auction took place, with thousands of objects that belonged to the singer of the famous and world-famous Rock group Queen .

This collection is now being put up for sale by Mary Austin, friend, former fiancée and heiress to the Rock Legend, after having taken care of it for thirty years.

A collection as legendary as Freddie Mercury was

Freddie Mercury, a British singer who died of AIDS in 1991 when he was only 45, bought this Yamaha quarter-grand piano for a thousand pounds in 1975. It was sold for 1.742 million pounds.

As for the manuscript of “Bohemian Rhapsody” – around fifteen pages on which Freddie Mercury had scribbled in pencil and ballpoint pen – it was sold for 1.3 million pounds sterling.

Among the objects offered, the drafts of "We Are The Champions", or even "Don't Stop Me Now"; the door of Garden Lodge, the singer's house in London, several works which decorated its interiors including Chagall, Dali, Picasso, and even James Tissot; his collection of kimonos, his stage costumes; intimate objects including his collection of poetry annotated by his hand when he was just a teenager or his mustache comb.

An evening worthy of Queen!

The evening began with “We Will Rock You”, with 59 lots put up for sale under the hammer of auctioneer Oliver Barker.

If, however, you missed Wednesday's sale, don't worry: there are two live auctions and three online sales left to try to acquire an object from this collection at Sotheby's, even though Freddie Mercury loved auctions and was a regular at Sotheby's.

Struggle against AIDS

The profits from this superb auction will be partly donated to the Mercury Phoenix Trust and Elton John Aids Foundation, involved in the fight against AIDS.

Sotheby’s announces that this is the most important collection linked to a cultural icon since the Elton John sale in 1988.