World-renown auction house, Sotheby’s, is once again celebrating musicianship with its upcoming sale in London, “Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own.” Preceded by a month-long public exhibition, the sale features the superstar’s personal collection of artworks, personal ephemera, stage costumes, handwritten lyrics, photographs and his beloved Yamaha G2 Baby Grand piano, upon which some of the most phenomenal songs of the 20^th century were composed.

According to Mary Austin, Freddie’s longtime friend, companion, confidant and one time fiancé, Freddie searched for weeks to find the perfect piano, one that could keep up with his flourishing creativity. He was thrilled when he discovered “the Yamaha,” which had been made in the Yamaha flagship factory in Hamamatsu, Japan, and enlisted his bandmates to move his trusty upright into his and Mary’s bedroom to make room for the Yamaha’s delivery. When Mary came home from work the day it was delivered, she was taken aback that it took up much of the small sitting room, but Freddie was thrilled.

“Freddie treated the Yamaha with absolute respect,” says Mary. “He considered it to be more than an instrument, it was an extension of himself, his vehicle of creativity. He would never smoke at the piano or rest a glass on top of it and would ensure nobody else did either. The piano was always pristine.” Freddie composed Bohemian Rhapsody on the Yamaha and may have been inspired by the instrument’s rich sound towards showcasing the grandeur that made that masterpiece so distinctive.

After the release of Bohemian Rhapsody, Freddie and Mary moved it into their new flat in Stafford Terrace, Kensington. Months later, Mary moved to Phillimore Gardens in Holland Park and Freddie parked the Yamaha in her flat, visiting often to concentrate on playing and composing. After a brief stint back in Stafford Terrace, in 1986/87, the piano was moved into Garden Lodge where it stayed until March of 2023.

After the release of Bohemian Rhapsody, Freddie and Mary moved it into their new flat in Stafford Terrace, Kensington. Months later, Mary moved to Phillimore Gardens in Holland Park and Freddie parked the Yamaha in her flat, visiting often to concentrate on playing and composing. After a brief stint back in Stafford Terrace, in 1986/87, the piano was moved into Garden Lodge where it stayed until March of 2023.

The live auction begins on September 6 and the Yamaha is estimated to earn 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 GBP. We consider this an absolute bargain, especially in light of Sotheby’s summation of the instrument, “From ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ to ‘Barcelona’, across the decades and spanning a musical journey from baroque to opera, this cherished black Yamaha baby grand piano is at the heart of an extraordinary story, unrivalled in modern pop and rock music and an inspirations for generations to come.”