Freddie Mercury's beloved piano, music drafts and a whole lot of private gadgets to go on sale

LONDON – Greater than 1,400 of Freddie Mercury’s private gadgets, together with his flamboyant stage costumes, handwritten drafts of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and the newborn grand piano he used to compose Queen’s biggest hits, are occurring present in a free exhibition at Sotheby’s London forward of their sale.

The huge assortment of the singer’s private belongings, which had been left to Mercury’s shut good friend Mary Austin, had remained undisturbed in his west London mansion for 30 years since his demise in 1991.

Austin, 72, stated in a BBC interview in April that she has determined to promote virtually all of the gadgets to “close this very special chapter in my life” and “put my affairs in order.”

Among the many a whole lot of Mercury’s private treasures had been his dazzling sequin catsuits, leather-based jackets and the lavish crimson cape and crown he wore on his final Queen efficiency in 1986, in addition to beforehand unseen working drafts of hits “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “We Are the Champions” and ”Anyone to Love.”

The handwritten draft of “Bohemian Rhapsody” — which shows that Mercury experimented with naming the song “Mongolian Rhapsody” before crossing it out — is expected to fetch 800,000 to 1.2 million pounds ($1 million to $1.5 million).

The star of the show, however, is Mercury’s beloved Yamaha baby grand piano, which is set to sell for 2 million to 3 million pounds ($2.5 million to $3.8 million). The piano survived several house moves, took center stage at his mansion, and was the heart of Mercury’s musical and personal story from 1975 until his death, auctioneers said Thursday.

“Of all the objects that he had, this is the one that meant the most to him,” said Gabriel Heaton, a specialist at the auction house.

Other highlights include Mercury’s art collection, featuring works by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Marc Chagall; handwritten invitations to his birthday bashes and dinner parties — including one dated 1977 that instructed guests to “Gown to Kill!”; and his eclectic collections of vintage furnishings, Japanese kimonos and cat collectible figurines.

“(Mercury) wrote this: ‘I like to be surrounded by splendid things. I want to lead a Victorian life, surrounded by exquisite clutter,’” stated Sotheby’s specialist Thomas Williams.

The a whole lot of things have turned the public sale home’s elegant central London constructing right into a shrine to Mercury, with all 15 of its galleries dedicated to his story. It’s the first time Sotheby’s is opening its complete gallery area to the general public for the weekslong exhibition, Williams stated, including it’s maybe its “most democratic sale,” with items like Mercury’s chopsticks and sewing kit starting at under 100 pounds ($125) each.

The exhibition, which is free to view, opens Friday and runs till Sept. 5. The gadgets will then be bought in a collection of auctions later that month.