Hammer to Fall: Freddie Mercury's personal treasures including stage costumes and handwritten lyrics up for auction
26 April 2023, 19:44 | Updated: 26 April 2023, 19:47
1,500 items belonging to late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury are going to auction, including handwritten lyrics, a Picasso portrait, and a silver Tiffany & Co moustache comb.
The singer, born Farrokh Bulsara, amassed the collection over three decades and kept it all at his sprawling mansion the Garden Lodge, in Kensington, west London.
When the We Will Rock You singer died in 1991 aged 45, he left the house and the haul of costumes and beautiful objects to long-time friend Mary Austin.
The house has remained untouched for over 30 years, but many of its treasures will now go to the highest bidder.
Among the items is a crown modelled on that of St Edward with an accompanying red velvet cloak that Mercury donned for a performance of God Save the Queen at the end of the the band’s last ever live performance at Knebworth House in 1986.
Working lyrics to Queen anthem We are the Champions are also going under the hammer, and are expected to fetch as much as £300,000.
Mercury filled the Garden Lodge - his retreat from the outrageous flamboyance of his public personal - with precious trinkets, priceless paintings and other artworks.
He spent his final months at the house before his death on November 24 1991, 24 hours after confirming that he had Aids as he urged humanity to "join the fight against this terrible disease".
"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 press statement released on Wednesday.
She added: "Freddie was an incredible and intelligent collector who showed us that there is beauty and fun and conversation to be found in everything; I hope this will be an opportunity to share all the many facets of Freddie, both public and private, and for the world to understand more about, and celebrate, his unique and beautiful spirit.
The main exhibition will be at Sotheby’s London gallery in August, with all of the items from the house on display, followed by six auctions (three in London, and three online) in September.
David MacDonald, the head of single owner sales at Sotheby’s London, said: “Freddie Mercury’s collection is a manifestation of one extraordinary man’s creativity, taste and unerring eye for beauty, presenting so much more than just an exquisite selection of the very best examples by artists across centuries and countries.
“Like a Russian doll, Garden Lodge has revealed its layers of treasures over recent months, with the rich tapestry of objects we have discovered there taking us all on a glorious adventure through his imagination.
"Opening the door to the very special place that was Freddie Mercury’s home offers us the ultimate backstage pass into his world.”
Among the other items up for grabs are 11 watercolours by art deco artist Erté, an nineteenth-century painting by James Jacques Tissot of the artist’s muse, Kathleen Newton, Mercury's 1975 Martin D-35 acoustic guitar in its original case, a tiny Tiffany & Co silver moustache comb, a vintage bakelite rotary telephone, and ceremonial military-style jacket complete with imitation medals.
Oliver Barker, the chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, said: “Freddie Mercury’s sensational life has left us with a rich array of artistic moments that still move and astound us, a legacy that, like his music, will live on forever.”
Austin will donate some of the proceeds from the sale to the Mercury Phoenix Trust and the Elton John Aids Foundation.
