Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own | The Evening Sale

Cartier, London

'Queen Number 1' gold brooch, 1975

Auction Closed

September 6, 08:20 PM GMT

Estimate

4,000 - 6,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

'Queen Number 1' gold brooch, 1975

designed as the words 'Queen Number 1', signed Cartier London, British hallmarks and maker's mark

SPECIAL NOTICE

This lot is being sold for private use only. No right to reproduce or otherwise commercially exploit the copyright or other intellectual property in the lots is included with the sale of lot. Queen Productions Limited and Queen Music Limited and other rights holders reserve all their rights.

This brooch was given by Queen manager John Reid to each band member when Bohemian Rhapsody reached No.1 in the UK in 1975.

The font of the brooch replicates the title design of Queen’s debut studio album Queen of which Rolling Stone magazine said "There's no doubt that this funky, energetic English quartet has all the tools they'll need to lay claim to the Zep's abdicated heavy-metal throne, and beyond that to become a truly influential force in the rock world. Their debut album is superb." The album contained songs such as ‘Keep Yourself Alive’ which was ranked no.31 in the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time" by Rolling Stone in 2008.

The first version of the Queen logo was introduced to the reverse of their debut album which was created by Freddie Mercury himself. The logo incorporates the zodiac signs of all the band members. The two lions representing Leo for Deacon and Taylor, a crab for Cancer for May and two fairies for Virgo which was Mercury’s sign. Mercury had studied graphic art at Ealing Art College where he performed with one of his previous bands Wreckage (Ibex) and met Tim Staffell of Smile who introduced him to Brian May and Roger Taylor.