Freddie Mercury’s piano was sold for 1.742 million pounds sterling (two million euros) during an auction event at Sotheby’s in London on Wednesday evening, where the artist’s manuscripts and costumes were also sold.
It is on this instrument that the artist, who died of AIDS in 1991 at the age of 45, composed almost all of his work from “Bohemian Rhapsody”.
The main item in a series of sales of thousands of items that belonged to the singer of Queen, this Yamaha quarter grand nevertheless sold, costs included, below the estimate published by the auction house, between two and three million pounds sterling (2.3 to 3.5 million euros).
This is a composer’s piano record, according to Sotheby’s.
Freddie Mercury bought it for a thousand pounds in 1975.
Another major piece, the manuscript of “Bohemian Rhapsody” was sold for 1.3 million pounds sterling (1.6 million euros).
The hammer blow was particularly applauded, after a loud “oooouuhh” invaded the room when the million pound mark was crossed.
The fifteen pages written in pencil and ballpoint pen reveal the different directions envisaged by the artist for this title which was initially to be called “Mongolian Rhapsody”.
Sotheby’s had published an estimate between 800,000 and 1.2 million pounds sterling (930,000 to 1.4 million euros).
Proofs of “We Are The Champions” went for 317,000 pounds (370,000 euros), as did those of “Don’t Stop Me Now”.
Opening and closing to the rhythm of “We Will Rock You”, the evening saw 59 lots go under the hammer of Oliver Barker, president of Sotheby’s Europe, for a total of more than 12 million pounds sterling (14 million euros ), double the total estimate of the various sales.
First of these, the door to Garden Lodge, the home of Freddie Mercury in West London. Saturated with fan graffiti, the green door of the property was sold – including costs – for 412,750 pounds sterling (481,736 euros), pulverizing the estimate published by the auction house (between 15,000 and 25,000 pounds sterling).
In the room, you could notably come across an aspiring Freddie Mercury look-alike, or a fan who, despite her efforts, had to throw in the towel and give up buying the real multicolored satin jacket from the artist, of which she was wearing a copy.
Among the many costumes, the crown and cape worn by the artist during The “Magic Tour”, where Queen filled stadiums in 1986, sold for 635,000 pounds sterling (740,000 euros), about ten times their estimate.
The set was bought by a Brazilian entrepreneur, Rafael Reisman, who felt that Freddie Mercury “belongs to the world”.
These auctions also saw a succession of paintings that adorned the interior of the legendary rocker: works by Chagall, Dali, Picasso, as well as the last painting purchased by the artist, a month before his death, an oil on canvas by James Tissot, sold for 483,6000 pounds.
After Wednesday’s sale, two more indoor auctions are to follow in addition to three online sales.
The entire collection was put up for sale by Mary Austin, a close friend to whom he was even once engaged and whom Freddie Mercury had made his heiress.
In addition to the artist, the auction lots also tell the story of the man Freddie Mercury was, his passion for cats, Japan – as evidenced by his collection of kimonos and prints -, his taste for receptions.
Before being scattered, the collection was brought together in a free month-long exhibition at Sotheby’s in London, which welcomed 140,000 visitors, according to the auction house.
Proceeds from the auction will be donated in part to the Mercury Phoenix Trust and Elton John Aids Foundation, two organizations involved in the fight against AIDS.
The 215,000 pounds sterling (250,000 euros) – price under the hammer, excluding costs – from the sale of a Cartier ring offered by Elton John to Freddie Mercury, will be entirely donated to the foundation of the singer.
According to Sotheby’s, this is the largest collection, by volume, of a superstar or cultural icon since the Elton John sale in 1988, where 2,000 lots sold for a total of 4.8 million pounds sterling.
06/09/2023 23:46:35 – London (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
