will give fans a first look at the star’s never-before-seen private collection of stage costumes, handwritten lyrics, fine art, precious objects and personal effects in touring exhibitions that will hit New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong in June and then a full takeover of Sotheby’s London galleries in August, followed by six auctions in September.Among the one-of-a-kind items slated for auction are Mercury’s crown, a replica of St.
For three decades, the Lodge has been left almost exactly as Mercury left it when he died in Nov. 1991 at age 45, filled with Victorian paintings, as well as works on paper, glass art and luxurious fabrics he acquired on the road in Japan.
The month-long Sotheby’s exhibit in London will take over 16,000 square feet of gallery space, filling it with more than 1,500 items lovingly curated by one of Mercury’s closest friends, Mary Austin. “For many years now, I have had the joy and privilege of living surrounded by all the wonderful things that Freddie sought out and so loved,” she said in a statement about the effects that will be displayed in a series of immersive galleries devoted to different aspects of Mercury’s life.
“But the years have passed, and the time has come for me to take the difficult decision to close this very special chapter in my life. It was important to me to do this in a way that I felt Freddie would have loved, and there was nothing he loved more than an auction,” she added about the display that will open on August 4 and close on Sept. 5, which would have been the singer’s 77th birthday.
The London show will be followed by six dedicated auctions and a live evening sale on Sept. 6, where a cross-section of the most significant items will be offered; that will be followed on Sept. 7 and 8 with two more live auctions, one focused on Mercury “On Stage” and another to his life “At Home.” A portion of the funds raised will go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Mercury Phoenix Trust.