September 2023 | London
This summer, Sotheby’s is honoured to present Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the private realm of a global icon.
Alongside his legendary public persona, Freddie Mercury was a deeply educated collector with a connoisseur’s eye, honed over years of careful research and exploration of the artists and movements that sparked his intellectual and aesthetic curiosity.
This collection has remained at Freddie’s beloved Garden Lodge for over three decades and displays a quality and diversity of works that are a testament not only to his passion, but his brilliant mind.
This rich legacy will now be shared for the very first time through a series of auctions at Sotheby’s London, preceded by a public exhibition unlike anything that has been seen before. Please join us this Summer to celebrate Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own.
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Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own
Freddie Mercury’s autograph working lyrics for Bohemian Rhapsody (c. 1974). Written in black and blue ballpoint pen and pencil, this early draft for Bohemian Rhapsody encompasses all sections of this most ambitious of Queen hits, which today still ranks as the third best-selling UK single of all time. As with many of the lyrics held within this collection, the draft text is written across 15 pages of stationery from the now defunct 'British Midland Airways'. Revealing untold insights into other possible directions this song could have taken, one page – for example – reveals an early alternative title for the song as “Mongolian Rhapsody” with the words first underlined and then crossed out and replaced with the words, “Bohemian Rhapsody”.
Estimate: £800,000 - £1.2 million.
Auction Calendar
Step into Freddie Mercury’s personal world in a series of free and public exhibitions. This June, highlights from the collection will be on view in our galleries across the globe ahead of the London Finale.
All exhibitions are free & open to the public.
New York | 1–8 June
Monday–Saturday | 10: 00 AM–5:00 PM
Sunday | 1:00 PM–5:00 PM
Sotheby’s New York
1334 York Avenue
New York, NY 10021
Highlights on View
![View 1 of Lot 6003: [GRAMMY] nomination plaque](https://sothebys-com.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1abd367/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4192x5129+0+0/resize/307x376!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsothebys-md.brightspotcdn.com%2Ff5%2Ff8%2F6305e7534db9872570431817ea8d%2Fgrammynominationplaque2.jpg)
Los Angeles | 14–18 June
Wednesday| 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Thursday | 10:00 AM–5:00 PM & 6:00PM- 8:00PM
Friday | 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday | 1:00 PM–5:00 PM
Sotheby’s Los Angeles
350 N Camden Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Hong Kong | 26–30 June
10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Sotheby’s Gallery
5/F, One Pacific Place
88 Queensway, Admiralty
London Takeover | 4 August–5 September
Details Coming Soon
Contacts
Sale Enquiries | FreddieMercury.Collection@Sothebys.com
Press & Media Enquires | FreddieMercury.Press@Sothebys.com
Illustrations:
The Evening Sale: Freddie Mercury, Queen - Wembley Stadium 1986, Photograph by ©Denis O’Regan
On Stage: Freddie Mercury, Queen in Concert, Magic Tour, Wembley Stadium, London, 1986, Photograph by ©Richard Young
At Home: Freddie Mercury © DIDI ZILL
In Love With Japan: Freddie Mercury, ©Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images
Crazy Little Things 1: A rare image from Freddie’s private album, showing some pre-concert downtime.
Crazy Little Things 2: A candid photograph of Freddie relaxing after a concert in a Japanese restaurant.