When Freddie Mercury died in 1991, he left much of his vast and luxurious estate to his ex-fiancée Mary Austin.
This included his Garden Lodge home in Kensington and all its contents, the latter of which she has now decided to auction off in part for charity.
From stylish furniture and gorgeous artwork to colourful clothes and handwritten Queen lyrics, 1400 lots from the music legend’s personal collection are now on display – from today – in a major month-long exhibition at Sotheby’s.
Express.co.uk attended a special press reception last night at the auction house where Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own has taken over the vast majority of the building in central London.
The result is a stunningly immersive experience where the interior of the star’s private Garden Lodge home has been recreated in a way reminiscent of Elvis Presley’s Graceland across two floors. Walking around the exhibition you can imagine the Queen singer in your mind’s eye enjoying his home and vast collection of treasures.
Sotheby’s exclusive display is an extraordinary and unmissable opportunity for fans. Not only is it free for its month-long run but so many of Freddie’s possessions here have never been seen in the public eye until today. Additionally, most of the familiar clothes and costumes haven’t been viewed since the star wore them on stage and in music videos decades ago.
Our private tour began in the Central Gallery where Freddie’s iconic Coronation crown and robe from his final Magic tour are proudly on display on top of his personal trunks, surrounded by the star’s personal gold and platinum records adorning the walls.
We then walked through a specially recreated Garden Lodge set of doors into two rooms devoted to the Queen singer’s love and devotion for all things Japanese, from artwork and kimonos to furniture and a piano.
Meanwhile, the Lower Galleries also house the contents of Freddie’s dining and living rooms with a long table for hosting and the paintings he would famously gaze at in his final days. An adoring room of special trinkets also has all his cat figurines signifying his affection for his many feline friends who lived with him.
In Sotheby’s Upper Galleries, there were even more treasures to behold, including the actual Garden Lodge wall door with all the fan tribute scrawlings to Freddie. The contents up here are even more personal; items that presumably would have been housed in private even from the star’s friends.
A real highlight and some of the most valuable lots up for auction on display are his original handwritten lyrics for some of Queen’s greatest hits including Bohemian Rhapsody, which has “Mongolian Rhapsody” scribbled out.
Alongside more amazing artwork, including his much loved Tissot, are the contents of Freddie’s extensive and flamboyant wardrobe. A rainbow of kimonos hangs from the ceiling over moustachioed mannequins of the star wearing familiar stage wear including the military jacket he sported at his famous 39th birthday party in Germany.
Yet the pièce de résistance has to be Freddie’s personal mini grand piano from his drawing room, on which he composed more than a decade of hits including Bohemian Rhapsody. It’s no wonder this prized possession is estimated at £2-3 million. All in all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fans to see inside the personal and private world of the Queen star in a unique month-long window before the auction that will never be seen again. Plan a visit quickly before it’s gone forever.
Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own exhibition is free and open to the public with no booking required from today until September 5 at Sotheby’s London. For more information click here.
