For die-hard fans: Freddie Mercury stuff disappears under hammer

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy… These lyrics will probably sound familiar to many. For die-hard Queen fans: thousands of Freddie Mercury items will soon disappear under the Sotheby's auction hammer. In addition to Queen-related items, personal belongings such as furniture and a large part of the art collection will also be sold. 

As the frontman of Queen, Freddie Mercury's musical legacy is undisputed: the band had more than 30 British Top 50 hits in 40 years. Sotheby's will exhibit the items in London for a month prior to the auction. If they fall into oblivion after this, this may be the last chance to admire them in real life...

The exhibition and auction, Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own, consists of the contents of his house, Garden Lodge. He left the property to his good friend Mary Austin. The large house remained untouched for a long time, but now more than 1500 objects from its contents are being auctioned. This includes clothing, photos, books, games and a large part of the art collection. The showpiece of the collection is Mercury's piano, on which he composed many of his hits. The piano is expected to sell for between €2 million and €3 million. 

The lyrics of the song written by the frontman We are the champions is also one of the highlights. It is expected to generate almost €350. A painting by artist James Tissot is expected to sell for €700. Part of the proceeds will go to various charities. 

Big fan, but would you rather not break the bank? The exhibition is freely accessible and can be seen in London until September 5. The auction itself starts a day later on September 6.