Photo: RM Sotheby's
Not all classic car auctions are exclusively for the passionate gearheads and ego-driven millionaires. The upcoming RM Sotheby’s London event includes plenty of that, but also one particular item that will benefit a noble cause.
As it so happens, the vehicle is very impressive on its own, both due to its condition and celebrity provenance. This is Queen frontman Freddie Mercury’s personal daily driver, which he used for more than a decade to move about in London, and which has been kept in storage for yet another decade.
It’s a 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow still with the original factory paint and interior (so it’s Silver Chalice over Blue), and a little over 62,000 miles (99,800 km) on the odometer. It was acquired by Freddie Mercury in 1979, and he kept it until his death in 1991. The early years are not documented, but the Mercury ownership is confirmed and duly documented by various slips and documents bearing the singer’s signature, all of which are included in the lot.
They say that this was “the first Roller” Mercury ever owned, and clearly the one he enjoyed the most, with help from his personal chauffeur. The singer never had a proper driver’s license, but he did love cars passionately and acquired a small collection of them along the years.
Upon Mercury’s death, the Rolls went into his sister’s possession, the listing notes. Kashmira Cooke bought it from the estate in 2003 and used it as her own daily until 2013, when she auctioned it off to an unknown buyer believed to be Ukrainian celebrity Andriy Danylko. The current owner, whether Danylko or not, is now selling it to raise funds for Superhuman Center, a medical program and charity that offers support and medical treatment to the victims of the war in Ukraine. The listing clearly notes that all proceeds will be going to this organization.
Powered by a 6,750 cc V8 engine, this Silver Shadow comes with all the trappings of a luxury automobile of the time, including a chord phone, and radio and cassette player. It will sell at the RM Sotheby's London auction on November 5, with no reserve. No estimate is offered, but a Silver Shadow in decent condition and no celebrity association will fetch between $5,000 and $30,000 on the specialized market.
It’s a 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow still with the original factory paint and interior (so it’s Silver Chalice over Blue), and a little over 62,000 miles (99,800 km) on the odometer. It was acquired by Freddie Mercury in 1979, and he kept it until his death in 1991. The early years are not documented, but the Mercury ownership is confirmed and duly documented by various slips and documents bearing the singer’s signature, all of which are included in the lot.
They say that this was “the first Roller” Mercury ever owned, and clearly the one he enjoyed the most, with help from his personal chauffeur. The singer never had a proper driver’s license, but he did love cars passionately and acquired a small collection of them along the years.
Upon Mercury’s death, the Rolls went into his sister’s possession, the listing notes. Kashmira Cooke bought it from the estate in 2003 and used it as her own daily until 2013, when she auctioned it off to an unknown buyer believed to be Ukrainian celebrity Andriy Danylko. The current owner, whether Danylko or not, is now selling it to raise funds for Superhuman Center, a medical program and charity that offers support and medical treatment to the victims of the war in Ukraine. The listing clearly notes that all proceeds will be going to this organization.
Powered by a 6,750 cc V8 engine, this Silver Shadow comes with all the trappings of a luxury automobile of the time, including a chord phone, and radio and cassette player. It will sell at the RM Sotheby's London auction on November 5, with no reserve. No estimate is offered, but a Silver Shadow in decent condition and no celebrity association will fetch between $5,000 and $30,000 on the specialized market.
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