A Victorian-style silver snake bangle wore with an ivory satin catsuit in the 91裸聊视频淏ohemian Rhapsody91裸聊视频� video sold Wednesday for the highest price ever paid at auction for a piece of jewelry owned by a rock star as the late Queen front man91裸聊视频檚 most prized possessions were sold, Sotheby91裸聊视频檚 said.
The bracelet went for 698,500 pounds ($881,000) 91裸聊视频� 100 times its estimated low price 91裸聊视频� as the singer and songwriter91裸聊视频檚 flamboyant stage costumes, handwritten drafts to hits such as 91裸聊视频淲e are the Champions91裸聊视频� and the baby grand piano he composed Queen91裸聊视频檚 greatest hits on went up for sale.
The item broke a record set when John Lennon91裸聊视频檚 leather and bead talisman sold for 295,000 pounds ($368,000) in 2008, Sotheby91裸聊视频檚 said.
The auction opened with the sale of the graffiti-tagged door to the garden of Mercury91裸聊视频檚 home rapidly blowing past the high estimate of 25,000 pounds ($31,250) projected before the sale. The green door covered in hand-painted love notes from fans who made a pilgrimage to the house in the tony Kensington section of London sold for an eye-popping 412,750 pounds ($521,000) that included a buyer91裸聊视频檚 premium.
The collection was amassed by Mercury after Queen91裸聊视频檚 glam-rock produced an avalanche of hits that allowed the singer to achieve his dream of living a Victorian life 91裸聊视频渟urrounded by exquisite clutter.91裸聊视频�
More than 1,400 items are being sold by Mercury91裸聊视频檚 close friend, Mary Austin, to whom he left his house and all its possessions when he died of AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991 at 45.
Some of the proceeds from a series of live and online auctions were to go to charities. All of the proceeds of the sale of a Cartier onyx and diamond ring given to Mercury by Elton John that sold for 273,000 pounds ($344,000) were to go to the 91裸聊视频淩ocket Man91裸聊视频� singer91裸聊视频檚 AIDS charity.
Among the items sold at auction were prints by Pablo Picasso (190,500 pounds; $240,000), Salvador Dal铆 (48,260 pounds; $60,900); and Marc Chagall (63,500; $80,000), antique furniture and numerous cat figurines.
Sotheby91裸聊视频檚 devoted all 15 of its galleries to display Mercury91裸聊视频檚 eclectic collection in a tribute that was like a museum exhibit that it opened to the public for free, drawing more than 140,000 visitors in just over a month.
People from around the world visited 91裸聊视频淔reddie Mercury: A World of his Own,91裸聊视频� and the publicity drove up bidding for online auctions that began last month and close next week.
Even the items that had seemed in reach for some buyers, quickly eclipsed estimates in online auctions.
A collection of chopsticks that was estimated to fetch 40-60 British pounds had a current bid 1,200 pounds ($1,500).
One of the quirkier items, a silver moustache comb from Tiffany & Co, that had been expected to set a buyer back 400 to 600 pounds ($50091裸聊视频�750) had a bid at 35,000 pounds ($43,750).
The Yamaha baby grand piano that Mercury wrote some of his biggest hits on had been expected to reach bids as high as 3 million pounds ($3.75 million) but sold for 1.7 million pounds ($2.2 million).
Other items likely to be treasured by Queen fans were Mercury91裸聊视频檚 draft lyrics hits 91裸聊视频淒on91裸聊视频檛 Stop Me Now,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淲e Are the Champions91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频漇omebody to Love.91裸聊视频�
The handwritten draft of 91裸聊视频淏ohemian Rhapsody91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� scratched on stationery from the defunct British Midland Airways showed Mercury originally named the song 91裸聊视频淢ongolian Rhapsody91裸聊视频� but crossed it out. It sold for about 1.4 million pounds ($1.7 million).
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