Sotheby's to Auction Freddie Mercury's 1,500-Lot Collection

Sotheby's will auction the extraordinary collection of Freddie Mercury, comprising 1,500 lots from his Garden Lodge home in Kensington, West London. The sale, titled 'Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own,' is scheduled for September 6, 2023, and was commissioned by Mary Austin, Mercury's close friend. Highlights include a replica of St. Edward's crown and a red velvet cloak worn during Queen's 1986 final live performance, handwritten lyrics for 'We Are the Champions' (estimated £200,000-300,000) and 'Killer Queen' (£50,000-70,000), Japanese antiques, Victorian silver and porcelain, and stage costumes. A public exhibition runs from August 4 to September 5 at Sotheby's London, with top lots previewed in New York, London, and Hong Kong starting June. Six themed auctions are planned: 'Crazy Little Things 1 & 2,' 'In Love with Japan,' 'At Home,' 'On Stage,' and the 'Evening Sale.' Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara in Tanzania in 1946, was the lead singer of Queen and a noted collector of fine and decorative arts.