Freddie Mercury’s piano and handwritten lyrics set for October auction

Freddie Mercury’s piano, microphone and handwritten lyrics are among 82 items from singer’s archive going to auction

Freddie Mercury’s piano, recording microphone and handwritten songwriting drafts are among 82 items from the singer’s archive that will go under the hammer in October.

The collection is part of the Reinhold Mack Collection, being offered for sale by German producer Reinhold Mack and his son Freddie Mack, Mercury’s godson. The auction will be held by Propstore on October 1 and 2.

Among the most significant items is a Yamaha C3 grand piano from Munich’s Musicland Studios, where Mercury worked on solo material and Queen songs including Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

The instrument was also used during the recording of The Game, Hot Space and The Works.

The piano has a pre-sale estimate of £200,000 to £400,000. Other artists who played the Yamaha C3 include Leonard Cohen, The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Donna Summer and Bryan Ferry.

An AKG C414 EB microphone used to record Mercury’s lead and backing vocals at Musicland Studios is also being offered. It comes with its original Sennheiser bag and the red XLR cable used at the studio, with an estimated value of £40,000 to £80,000.

The collection includes Mercury’s handwritten lyrics for My Love Is Dangerous and Let’s Turn It On, from his 1985 solo album Mr Bad Guy. The drafts contain alternative and unused lines, while My Love Is Dangerous also features handwritten chord arrangements.

The lyrics are estimated at £3,000 to £6,000 and £1,500 to £3,000 respectively. A teddy bear Mercury gave to the Mack family is also included, with an estimate of £800 to £1,600.

Before the auction, the items will be displayed at a free exhibition at The Cumberland Hotel in London from September 23 to 27.

Mack said the family preserved the items for decades because of the memories attached to them rather than their monetary value.

“The memories we shared can never be auctioned; they will remain with our family forever,” he said.