Sotheby's auction house has organised a month-long exhibition and tour that will display the never-seen-before collection that belonged to the late Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the legendary band Queen.
The tour will stop in New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong in June before heading to Sotheby's London Galleries for a full takeover in August. Items will then be sold at six auctions in September.
The auction house will showcase Mercury's art, stage costumes, drafts of song lyrics and artefacts from his home in Kensington, West London.
Garden Lodge
Freddie Mercury acquired the Garden Lodge, his home in Kensington, in 1980. It is a lovely Georgian-style brick villa that was originally built in the 20th century for the painter Cecil Roe. The villa, once an intimate space, became a home full of theatre and furnished with beautiful artworks.
The Garden Lodge has been left exactly as Freddie Mercury had left it for the last 30 years. It is filled with Victorian paintings and works by some of the greatest artists of the 20th century. It also holds striking glass art and never-before-seen drafts of song lyrics and his costumes.
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This summer, the contents of the Garden Lodge will be revealed for the first time in a month-long exhibition at Sotheby's in London in which the 16,000 square-foot gallery will be dedicated to celebrating Mercury's life and passions.
One of the rock star's most trusted friends (and lover for a time) Mary Austin looked after the home over the last 30 years. "For many years I have had the joy and privilege of living surrounded by all the wonderful things that Freddie sought and so loved," said Austin in a press release. "But the years have passed and the time has come for me to take the difficult decision to close this very special chapter in my life."
Credit: Sotheby's
The exhibition
The exhibition will see 1,500 items from Garden Lodge displayed in a sequence of specially designed immersive galleries. Each gallery will be devoted to a different aspect of Mercury's life. The exhibition opens on 4 August and will close on what would have been his 77th birthday, 5 September.
It is fitting that Sotheby's would be the auction house to honour the icon as he loved the auction house, buying many antiques there. "I love going to auctions and buying antiques... the one thing I would really miss if I actually left Britain would be Sotheby's," Mercury once said.
Freddie Mercury in Japan. Credit: Sotheby's
The auction
Auctions will start with an Evening Sale on 6 September. This will showcase the most significant items in the collection and is a ticketed event.
Freddie Mercury’s outfit for his legendary 39th birthday party in Munich in 1985. Credit: Sotheby's
"Freddie Mercury's sensational life has left us with a rich array of artistic moments that still move and astound us," said Oliver Barker, chairman of Sotheby's Europe, in a press release. "As Sotheby's is transformed into the stage for his remarkable collection, the focus will be as much on Freddie Mercury the showman, celebrating everything we already know about him, as on discovering his more private artistic passions."
Some items on auction include an unseen manuscript working lyrics to 'We Are The Champions', Mercury's military-style jacket worn at his 39th birthday party, an acoustic guitar and a tiny Tiffany & Co. silver moustache comb.
Freddie Mercury’s Crown and accompanying cloak. Credit: Sotheby's
Mercury's crown, a replica of St. Edward's Crown to be worn by King Charles III in the upcoming coronation, will be on display in Sotheby's New Bond Street windows from today until the Coronation on 5 May.
Mary Austin will be donating a portion of the proceeds collected from the sale to the Mercury Phoenix Trust and Elton John's Aids Foundation.
Exhibition and auction schedule
Exhibition:
Sotheby's New York: 1334 York Ave, 1-8 June
Sotheby's Los Angeles: 350 N Camden Dr, 14-18 June
Sotheby's Hong Kong: One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, 26-30 June
Sotheby's London (Main exhibition and full collection): 34-35 New Bond Street, 4 August - 5 September
Auction:
"The Evening Auction" (live): 6 September, 17:00
"On Stage" (live): 7 September, 12:00
"At Home" (live): 8 September, 12:00
"In Love With Japan" (online): 1-11 September, 12:00
"Crazy Little Things" part 1 (online): 1-12 September, 12:00
"Crazy Little Things: part 2 (online): 1-13 September, 12:00
