LONDON: Fans of Freddie Mercury might wonder if this is the real life, or just fantasy, when they walk into a near-replica of his London home, where thousands of items belonging to the late Queen frontman will be on exhibition starting Friday.
Rare items including handwritten lyrics, art and collectibles from Mercury's London home, Garden Lodge, have been looked after by his close friend Mary Austin since his death from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991.
They will go on public display for the first time in the month-long exhibition at Sotheby's, which will then auction many of the items in September, with prices ranging from as low as 40 pounds to millions of pounds.
"We've conceived our gallery spaces to give it a sense of what it was like living with Freddie at home," said David MacDonald, head of single owner sales at Sotheby's London said.
"If he was to walk in, he'd instantly recognise some of the spaces we've created," MacDonald said.
At the heart of the auction is Mercury's treasured, black Yamaha piano, estimated at 2-3 million pounds ($2.5-$3.8 million), on which he composed the 1975 Queen epic "Bohemian Rhapsody".
"It was an extension of himself, his vehicle of creativity," Austin said of the baby grand piano. "He would never smoke at the piano or rest a glass on top of it and would ensure nobody else did either. The piano was always pristine."
Other items for sale range from Mercury's crown and regal cloak, worn for the "God Save The Queen" finale during the singer's last tour with Queen in 1986, estimated at 60,000-80,000 pounds, to a Tiffany & Co silver moustache comb (400-600 pounds).
Handwritten manuscript working lyrics for "We Are The Champions" have an estimate of 200,000–300,000 pounds, while those for "Killer Queen" have a price tag of 50,000–70,000 pounds.
Reuters
Fri Aug 04 2023
A Sotheby's handler examines a Yamaha Grand Piano that is estimated to sell for between US$2-3 million, during Sotheby's 'Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own' press preview in London, Britain August 3, 2023. REUTERS
AWANI Pagi: Hari sedunia bagi keselamatan & kesihatan di tempat kerja 2024
Memahami kaitan perubahan iklim kepada isu keselamatan dan kesihatan pekerjaan, yang diangkat sebagai tema Hari Sedunia bagi Keselamatan dan Kesihatan di Tempat Kerja tahun ini. Diskusi bersama Ts Mohd Soffian Osman, Perunding Keselamatan & Kesihatan Awam, Safety Management Academy 7.30 pagi nanti
Jualan kediaman kekal memberangsangkan - TA Global
Kenaikan harga hartanah akibat tekanan inflasi ke atas harga bahan binaan tidak menghalang hasrat rakyat Malaysia untuk memiliki rumah idaman.
Rakyat Israel desak kerajaan bawa pulang tebusan yang tinggal
Ribuan berkumpul di Tel Aviv pada Sabtu malam bagi mendesak kerajaan Israel mencapai perjanjian gencatan senjata dengan Hamas dan membawa pulang tebusan yang tinggal
Hamas keluarkan video dua tebusan Israel
Kumpulan pejuang Hamas mengedarkan video menampilkan dua tahanan Israel yang menyeru kepada Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, untuk memenuhi perjanjian pembebasan mereka.
Israel sedia tangguh serangan ke atas Rafah
Israel bersedia menangguhkan serangan ke Rafah jika perjanjian pembebasan tahanan Hamas tercapai. Menteri Luar Israel, Israel Katz, menegaskan keutamaan pembebasan tahanan.
Restoran nasi kandar dibaling cat, polis kesan tiga lelaki
Cat merah tersebut terkena papan tanda dan pintu hadapan restoran yang mula beroperasi pada Sabtu.
Kawasan Beris Lalang terbakar lagi
Cuaca panas melampau di Kelantan menyebabkan kebakaran ladang dan semak di kawasan Beris Lalang. Penduduk dan pekebun mengalami kerugian
Ringgit dijangka diniaga dalam jajaran kecil
Ringgit Malaysia dijangka berada di sekitar 4.77 berbanding Dolar AS minggu depan, bergantung kepada keputusan FOMC dan data ekonomi AS
Bursa Malaysia dijangka diniagakan dalam jajaran kecil
Analisis terkini menunjukkan Bursa Malaysia berpotensi naik dalam jajaran kecil minggu depan, dengan pandangan positif terhadap kembalinya dana asing. Paras sokongan dan konsolidasi disebutkan.
PM tiba di Riyadh untuk hadiri mesyuarat WEF
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tiba di Riyadh bagi menghadiri Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Sedunia. Beliau dijadual terlibat dalam dialog strategik, panel, dan pertemuan bersama pemimpin serantau
Sikat misai Freddie Mercury dibeli pada harga mencecah RM1 juta
Peminat tersebut telah membeli sikat yang digunakan pelantun lagu Bohemian Rhapsody pada harga di luar jangkaan iaitu RM886.250.
Piano milik penyanyi Queen Freddie Mercury dilelong pada harga RM10 juta
Piano buatan Yamaha itu dijual pada harga RM10.16 juta manakala manuskrip 'Bohemian Rhapsody' mencecah RM8.06 juta.
Freddie Mer'curry' hasilkan 'Briyani Wrapsody'
Kreativiti warga Twitter mengolah lirik lagu Bohemian Rhapsody oleh kumpulan Queen, semuanya gara-gara gambar seorang pekerja restoran mirip Freddie Mercury!