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Freddie Mercury’s Treasured Belongings Are Headed to Auction
More than 30 years after his death, Freddie Mercury’s reputation as one of rock’s greatest performers is alive and well—and soon fans will be able to own a piece of the legendary musician’s life: As The Associated Press reports, 1500 of Mercury’s prized belongings are headed to auction.
The Queen frontman left his collection of “exquisite clutter” to his close friend Mary Austin following his death from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991. After holding onto them for decades, Austin has come to the “difficult decision” to sell his old possessions at auction through Sotheby’s.
Hot-ticket items include art from Mercury’s personal collection. The 19th-century painting Type of Beauty by French artist James Tissot is expected to fetch the highest bids, with an estimated selling price of $500,000 to $750,000.
Other treasures will appeal to Queen listeners specifically. The handwritten lyrics of “We Are the Champions” bundled with his British Midland Airways stationary are expected to fetch at least $250,000 at the auction block. Fans can also bid on the crown Mercury wore during Queen’s final performance (believed to be worth up to $100,000) and his silver Tiffany & Co. mustache comb (a steal at $500 to $750).
Sotheby’s kicks off the three-day auction in September, with Austin donating a portion of the proceeds to the Mercury Phoenix Trust and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Freddie Mercury fans who can’t afford to bid will have a chance to see the collection on display when it tours Sotheby’s locations in New York, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong in June.
[h/t AP]