Freddie Mercury's iconic memorabilia fetches over £3 mn at London auction
Freddie Mercury used to compose almost all of his greatest songs and the original manuscript for «Bohemian Rhapsody» were snapped up for over £3 million Wednesday when they went under the hammer in London.
The Sotheby's auction room echoed to the sound of the track «We Will Rock You» before bidding began at the black-tie evening auction.
The items were among over 1,400 lots of Mercury memorabilia up for grabs over the next week, with the famous auction house's facade decorated with a huge moustache for the occasion.
The 59 lots sold on Wednesday brought in £12,172,290, Sotheby's said, adding that each one went for more than double the estimated price.
Mercury's Yamaha quarter-tail piano went for £1,742,000 ($2,198,927), including buyer's premium and fees, while the manuscript for the epic hit song «Bohemian Rhapsody» fetched £1,379,000.
Auctioneer Oliver Barker called the «Bohemian Rhapsody» lyrics — contained in 15-pages of pencil and ballpoint pen remarks — a «modern cultural icon».
The manuscript also reveals that Mercury, who died from AIDS in 1991, originally intended to call the song «Mongolian Rhapsody».
Mercury's cherished baby grand was purchased by the charismatic star in 1975 after an exhaustive six-month search for «the ideal instrument to bring to life» his compositions.
A record 2,000 bidders from 61 countries registered to take part in the sale.
Part of the proceeds will be donated to the Mercury Phoenix Trust and the Elton John Aids Foundation, two organisations involved in the fight against AIDS.
«I miss Freddie to this day.
He was a wonderful friend more full of love and life than anyone I've ever met, as well as a brilliant performer whose music has inspired and thrilled millions,» John said in a
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