Five lots to watch at the Freddie Mercury sale

Highlights: Among the thousands of objects that belonged to Freddie Mercury that are about to be sold, here are five - which stand out for their meaning, price, history or all at once. The piano is the instrument on which Freddie Mercury composed almost everything, from "Bohemian Rhapsody" to "Shake, Rattle and Roll" The jukebox is loaded with 24 78 rpm records such as "Hallelujah I Love Her So" by Ray Charles. The cape, with its fleurs-de-lis, its 3.27 meters long, is inspired by those of the coronation of Napoleon.

Among the thousands of objects that belonged to Freddie Mercury that are about to be sold, here are five - which stand out for their meaning, price, history or all at once - to ...

The piano

This is the instrument on which Freddie Mercury composed almost everything, from "Bohemian Rhapsody", according to Gabriel Heaton, of Sotheby's.

In search of a piano that lived up to his ambitions, while finding his place in the living room of the small apartment where he lived with Mary Austin, the artist bought it in 1975 for a thousand pounds sterling after weeks of research.

This Yamaha G2 quarter tail was treated by the musician with "absolute respect", according to Mary Austin, heiress of Freddie Mercury. More than an instrument, he considered it "an extension of himself, his vehicle of creativity". As a sign of respect if necessary, "he never smoked on the piano or left a glass on it" and making sure that everyone did the same, according to Mary Austin, "the piano was always impeccable".

Sotheby's estimates it between two and three million pounds sterling (2.3 - 3.5 million euros).

In Freddie Mercury's home, it was accompanied by a two-seater silk-trimmed stool, dating from the 1920s and 1930s, which Freddie Mercury had bought in 1977 from Harrods. It is also offered for sale.

The manuscript of "Bohemian Rhapsody"

The title could have been titled "Mongolian Rhapsody", according to the 15 pages of this draft on the paper with the effigy of an airline now defunct, "British Midland Airways" bearing the calendar of the year 1974.

The manuscript of Freddie Mercury's song "Bohemian Rhapsody" (R) photographed during a press conference on August 3, 2023 © Daniel LEAL / AFP / Archives

This manuscript in pencil and ballpoint pen - eight pages are devoted to lyrics, seven to musical harmonies - allows us to understand the artist's creative process.

This manuscript is estimated between 800,000 and 1.2 million pounds sterling (930,000 to 1.4 million euros).

The crown and cape

Freddie Mercury wore them during The "Magic Tour", where Queen filled stadiums in 1986.

The crown, with its four arches, purple velvet cap and false ermine, is designed to resemble that of St. Edward used at the coronation of British monarchs.

Freddie Mercury's crown and cape photographed at Sotheby's in London on August 3, 2023 © Daniel LEAL / AFP/Archives

The cape, with its fleurs-de-lis, its 3.27 meters long, is inspired by those of the coronation of Napoleon.

The ensemble was worn by Freddie Mercury at the time of Brian May's "God Save The Queen" which concluded each concert of this tour, which was the last of the group with its singer, until its last appearance on stage, on August 9, 1986.

Sotheby's has published an estimate between 60,000 and 80,000 pounds sterling (70,000 to 93,000 euros).

The poetry collection

Dating from 1964, when Freddie Mercury's family fled Zanzibar because of the revolution to settle in London, this book of poems bears the comments of the teenager "Fred Bulsara" (his real name being Farrokh Bulsara).

There are his comments and judgments - "rather good ideas" - annotations and drawings, as well as a poem of his own composition with black ballpoint pen.

It is estimated between 800 and 1,200 pounds sterling (925-1,390 euros) and offered at an online sale that ends on September 12.

The jukebox

The beautiful 1941 Wurlitzer jukebox that the singer had bought for the kitchen of his house, is loaded with 24 78 rpm records such as "Hallelujah I Love Her So" by Ray Charles, "Rit It Up" by Little Richard and "Shake, Rattle and Roll" by Bill Haley.

Estimated between 15,000 and 25,000 pounds sterling (17,000-29,000 euros).