A series of six live and online sales drew thousands to bid on items once owned by the late rock star
No other personal item among 1,406 owned by Freddie Mercury better describes the frenzy surrounding the US$50.4 million sale of the Queen frontman’s personal collection than a silver Tiffany mustache comb that sold for £152,000, or nearly US$190,000.
The late rock star’s collection came to the auction house nearly 32 years after his death from Mary Austin, Mercury’s one-time fiancé and closest friend, according to Sotheby’s. Austin took care of Mercury’s West London home known as Garden Lodge, which he bought in 1980. More than 150,000 people from across the world, and from across generations, came to Sotheby’s London galleries to see the items once owned by Mercury. Among the most passionate bidders were those who had seen him perform live. According to the auction house, 85% of bidders and buyers were brand new to Sotheby’s.
High-profile sales across the six auctions included the Yamaha baby grand piano the artist used at home to compose many of his hits, which fetched £1.7 million from an online buyer. A gold record award given by RIAA after the sale of 1 million copies of Bohemian Rhapsody on Elektra Records sold for £114,300, while a BPI platinum award for the sale of 1 million records for the same song fetched £107,950. A silver snake bangle achieved £698,500.
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