Freddie Mercury's piano, microphone to be auctioned

The iconic piano and microphone of the late Freddie Mercury, the legendary frontman of Queen, are set to go under the hammer. Alongside early drafts of his compositions, these pieces of music history will be auctioned on October 1 and 2, as announced by the auction house Propstore.

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Freddie was not only a colleague and a close friend; in many ways, he was part of our family. Beyond the countless hours we spent creating music together at Musicland studios, our home in Munich became a refuge where he could escape the pressures of fame, relax, and just be himself.

The items are part of an extensive collection compiled by German producer Reinhold Mack. Mack, who collaborated with Queen and is the godson of Mercury, is offering several lots from his archive. Among the highlights is a Yamaha C3 grand piano from Munich's Musicland studios. Mercury used this piano during the recording of "The Game," "Hot Space," and "The Works." Notably, the piano has also been played by music giants like the Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Donna Summer, and Bryan Ferry.

This piano, with an estimated value between 200,000 and 400,000 pounds, is considered the most significant Freddie Mercury-related item to appear on the market since the sale of his personal collection in 2023. Also up for grabs is the AKG C414 EB microphone that captured Mercury's lead vocals and harmonies during studio sessions. This microphone, estimated between 40,000 and 80,000 pounds, comes with its original Sennheiser case and the red XLR cable used at Musicland studios.

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For us, he was never a celebrity; he was Uncle Freddie: he spent time with his godson Freddie Jr., played table tennis with Julian (our eldest son), and celebrated family birthdays with us. We have carefully preserved these objects for decades, not for their material value, but for the memories they hold.

The collection also features handwritten drafts by Mercury for the songs "My Love is Dangerous" and "Let's Turn It On," both from his 1985 solo album "Mr Bad Guy." These drafts are estimated at 3,000 to 6,000 pounds and 1,500 to 3,000 pounds, respectively. A teddy bear gifted by Mercury to the Mack family, valued between 800 and 1,600 pounds, will also be auctioned. The items will be exhibited at The Cumberland hotel in London from September 23 to 27.

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We believe the time has come for others to enjoy and appreciate them, and we hope they will offer fans a connection not only to Freddie's extraordinary artistic talent but also to the warm, funny, and kind man he was.