Freddie Mercury’s silver choker

worn c.1973 - 1975

A snake coil silver choker with tongue curved box clasp, with European hallmark– approx. 14 cm. di𝓀am. fastened, approx. 41 cm. long fastened 

This favourite choker of Freddie’s was worn both on and off stage, with many items of clothing included in this auction, from around 1973 until around 1975. It was Freddie’s preferred accessory for many key occasions including the famous photoshoots with Mick Rock in 1973 and 1974, reproduced in the ‘Killer Queen’ limited edition book (lots 2338-39), some of the original prints from which are included in this auction. A photograph from one of these shoots in 1974 was used on the inside gatefold sleeve of A Night At The Opera’, with Freddie wearing the burgundy velvet jacket in lot 133, and it was also worn for another Mick Rock photoshoot for the front cover artwork for Sheer Heart Attack (1974).

Some of the earliest stage appearances are at Imperial College, London in 1973 where Freddie wears this choker with his black and white asymmetrical stage suit (lot 38) and the famous black wrap-around top decorated with yellow diamante (lot 40), and at the Rainbow Theatre, London, November 1974 where Freddie wore it with another black velvet wrap-around top (lot 118). In November 1974 he wore it for stage rehearsals for the BBC TV chart show ‘Top Of The Pops’, again with his burgundy velvet jacket (lot 133). It last seems to have been worn on stage during the A Night At The Opera tour of 1975, and then disappears from view, probably due to some damage it sustained which is evident on a small section of the choker where♎ the coils have become stretched.

LITERATURE

Killer Queen: The Official Limited Edition, Genesis Publications, 2003, illuꦿstrations include:

11 & 13 – Imperial College, 1973 20 – 25 – pre tour photo session, 1973 74-75, 88 & 110 – Freddie photo session, 1974 94 & 102 – Rainbow Theatre, November, 1974 126 & 127 – awards ceremony at The Café Royale 143 & 14𓆉5-148 – recording ‘Sheer Heart Attack’, Trident Studios, 1974 152 & 153 – ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ front cover photoshoot, 1974 160 & 164 – Freddie solo photoshoot, Holland Road, December 1974

SPECIAL NOTICE

No right to reproduce or commercially exploit the copyright or other intellectual property

or image rights in any lot is included with the sale of the lot (including but not limited to

song lyrics, sketches, drawings and garment designs). Queen Productions Limited, Queen

Music Limited and other rights holders reserve all their rights.