A stage-worn white catsuit and ballet shoes, worn 1976-77

Freddie Mercury’s white catsuit and ballet shoes

stage worn, 1976-77

A plain white sleeveless and footless elastane catsuit with low rounded neckline, unlabelled; and a pair of white leather ballet shoes each with elasticated strap across the bridge of the foot, the leather soles stamped ‘FREED, London’ and size: ‘8’ and showing signs of considerable use

(3)

Freddie frequently wore white catsuits on stage in 1976 and 1977 (see also lots 172 and 178). This catsuit can be differentiated from the other two by the shape of the neckline and the width of the straps. This catsuit is the more worn of the three and appears to be the one worn at the ‘Welcome To Our Picnic by the Serpentine’ concert at Hyde Park, 18 September 1976, on the inside sleeve for the album A Day At The Races (1976), and on promotional photos for the corresponding tour.

A black and white photograph of Freddie on stage wearing a white sleeveless catsuit is included in lot 159.

LITERATURE

Jacky Smith & Jim Jenkins, Queen As It Began, Omnibus Press, Revised Edition, 2022, illus. between pp. 198-199

Phil Sutcliffe with Peter Hince, Mick Rock, Reinhold Mack and Billy Squier, Queen: The Ultimate Illustrated History of The Crown Kings of Rock, Voyageur Press, 2009 illus, pp.105 and 108, on stage during the ‘A Day At The Races’ Tour in North America, February, 1977

Freddie Mercury – The Great Pretender, A Life In Pictures, Welbeck, 2012, p.60 

Killer Queen, The Official Limited Edition, Mick Rock & Queen, Genesis Publications, 2003, illus. p.104

Jacques Lowe, Queen’s Greatest Pix, Quartet Books, 1981, illus.p.27

SPECIAL NOTICE

No right to reproduce or commercially exploit the copyright or other intellectual property

or image rights in any lot is included with the sale of the lot (including but not limited to

song lyrics, sketches, drawings and garment designs). Queen Productions Limited, Queen

Music Limited and other rights holders reserve all their rights.

No right to exhibit in public or reproduce this lot is included with the sale of this lot

without the prior written consent of Queen Productions Limited, who shall act in good faith

to consider any such requests.