Freddie Mercury's piano to grab center stage at London auction
What's the story
Freddie Mercury's iconic piano on which he composed the popular Bohemian Rhapsody track is among the items being auctioned this year in September. It has already been revealed as a star lot by Sotheby's auction house as it is expected to fetch £ 2-3 million when it goes under the hammer. Reportedly, this piano was among the Queen frontman's most prized possessions.
Piano
Mercury never even kept a glass on the piano: Reports
Mary Austin, who was Mercury's partner, told Sotheby's that the performer "would never smoke at the piano or even rest a glass on the top of it." The black Yamaha piano traveled from apartment to apartment, wherever Mercury used to stay. It finally made a stop at his Garden Lodge home in West London where he spent his last days in 1991.
Other items
Mercury's crown regal cloak, mustache comb to be auctioned too
Per Sotheby's, Merucry's crown and regal cloak that he wore for the God Save The Queen finale will be auctioned for £ 60,000 to £ 80,000. His Tiffany & Co silver mustache comb is estimated to fetch £ 400-600, while his We Are The Champions manuscript is worth nearly £ 70,000. In April, Mercury's hot pants were sold for £ 18,000.
Exhibition
His piano, other personal items to be displayed at exhibiton
Can't make it to the auction in September? Fret not, the folks at Sotheby's are organizing a month-long exhibition to display all of Merucry's personal belongings before they are auctioned. Besides his piano, rare collectibles like handwritten lyrics, artworks, clothing, and other knick-knacks will also be displayed and auctioned later. The display starts on August 4 at a free exhibition by Sotheby's in London.
Information
About 30,000 items to be displayed in 15 galleries
Per reports, this exhibition has been "arranged thematically" over Sotheby's 15 galleries! While one gallery would display his Japanese art collectibles, others would feature his daily-use items. All these would be auctioned in September, with their prices ranging from £ 40 to millions of pounds.
Gallery
Exhibition galleries would be a replica of Mercury's home
David MacDonald, who is the head of single-owner sales at Sotheby's, said in a recent press release, "We've conceived our gallery spaces to give it a sense of what it was like living with Freddie at home." He also added that if Freddie was to walk in, he would instantly recognize some of the spaces that the galleries have created.