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1,500 Of Freddie Mercury’s Personal Possessions Going On Tour And Auction Block

Author Phil Harris
British singer Freddie Mercury (1946 - 1991) of rock band Queen in concert at Leeds Football Club, UK, 29th May 1982. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Much of it should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and maybe some of it will find a home there, but first many of Freddie Mercury’s prized personal possessions are going to be sold. The BBC reports that 1,500 items from the late singer’s private collection are being auctioned off by Sotheby’s in London later this year.

What’s remarkable is that Freddie Mercury’s London home has remained untouched since he died in 1991. The collection is being sold by Mary Austin, one of Mercury’s closest friends. She was portrayed by Lucy Boynton in the 2018 film Bohemian Rhapsody. Freddie left the house and everything in it to Mary in his will.

The collection includes many of Freddie Mercury’s costumes, the jeweled crown he wore on stage, his handwritten lyrics to Queen’s 1977 hit “We Are the Champions,” various works of art, some home furnishings, and even a silver mustache comb from Tiffany and Co. Bidders will also see Freddie’s 1975 Martin D-35 acoustic guitar in its original case. It’s thought that Mercury may have used that guitar when writing and recording “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” in 1979.

What would a collection of rock star memorabilia be without a tour? Freddie Mercury’s possessions will initially be displayed at shows in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong this summer. The items will then go under the hammer in six London auctions between September 6th and 13th. In all, the collection is expected to fetch at least $7.5 million.

Phil Harris is 50% of "Phil & Mel in the Afternoon" on K104.7. He has been with the station since 2013 and on the air in Charlotte since 2000. Before coming to the Queen City, Phil worked for radio stations in Pittsburgh, Austin, and Seattle. In addition to the weekly "Throwback Threesome" music video feature, Phil writes about things that matter to Charlotte sports fans and pet owners. He happens to be both.

Throwback Threesome - Queen

Queen formed in London in 1970 after singer Freddie Mercury met guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor of the band Smile. It was Mercury who suggested the name change. Bass player John Deacon joined in 1971. During the ’70s, the band was influenced by progressive rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and even a little opera.

As the 1980s approached, Queen evolved into more of an arena rock and pop sound that broadened their international appeal even further. While the band had always displayed expert musicianship, it was the dynamic four-octave vocal range and theatrical stage presence of Freddie Mercury that separated Queen from the pack and drew the adulation of audiences worldwide.

Freddie Mercury died of bronchopneumonia, a complication of AIDS, in 1991. John Deacon retired in 1997. Since 2004, Brian May and Roger Taylor have toured as “Queen +”, with vocalists Paul Rodgers (2004-2009) and Adam Lambert (2011-present). Let’s revisit three of Queen’s earliest and biggest hits.

  • Killer Queen (1974)

    “Killer Queen” was written by lead singer Freddie Mercury and recorded for Queen’s third album, Sheer Heart Attack, in 1974. It peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and became their first US hit, reaching number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100. This video clip comes from Top of the Pops, a BBC television show that aired weekly from 1964 to 2006. It was the world’s longest-running weekly TV music program.

  • Bohemian Rhapsody (1975)

    Despite mixed reviews from critics, the operatic “Bohemian Rhapsody” was well-received by the public. Released as the first single from A Night at the Opera, the nearly six-minute suite topped the charts all over the world in 1975; again as part of the Wayne’s World soundtrack in 1992; and once more following the release of the 2018 biopic, also called Bohemian Rhapsody.

  • Somebody To Love (1976)

    “Somebody to Love” was the first single from Queen’s 1976 album, A Day at the Races. The band’s drummer, Roger Taylor, told Circus Magazine that the song was “Aretha Franklin-influenced” with its gospel choir sound. However, the “100-voice choir” was actually a vocal layering of Taylor, Freddie Mercury, and Brian May. The video takes us back and forth between the recording studio and the concert stage.

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