PRESS RELEASE; FREDDIE MERCURY

Rolls rocks eBay
‘Is this the real thing?’ Freddie Mercury’s Rolls Royce goes on sale on-line.

On the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Bohemian Rhapsody, consistently voted the greatest pop song of all time, the late, great Freddie Mercury's silver Rolls Royce is being offered for sale on eBay . It reveals an unexpectedly homely side to Queen’s glam-rock icon: no cocktail cabinets or exotic upholstery - just sleek grey leather, slightly worn, with his handy box of man-sized tissues still on the back seat!

Mercury’s cherished 1974 Silver Shadow goes on sale today (Thursday 17 November) at 8.30pm, in a two-stage auction procedure entirely new to eBay, conducted by on-line sales specialists SellStuffEasy. The aim is to protect the singer’s family (who inherited the car in 1991) from a flood of frivolous bids, while ensuring that serious collectors have a clear run at bidding for their prize.

"Such a fantastic piece of rock memorabilia is bound to attract a lot of interest," says SellStuffEasy director Darren Henderson. "Unfortunately, fans can get carried away, placing bids they can’t actually honour. Our pre-registration auction is designed to protect both the family and collectors, by ensuring that only serious bidders proceed to the auction proper."

Bidders’ identities will be checked, and a deposit of £5,000 will be required to enter the bidding. Unsuccessful bidders will have their deposits returned in full - but potential buyers who withdraw their bids will lose their money.

The registration period will last ten days, with final bidding beginning on 27 November. The car, which made its last public appearance at the London premiere of We Will Rock You, is sold with a letter of authenticity from Mercury’s sister - along with a new alarm system, and, of course, the Kleenex.

London-based company SellStuffEasy specialises in the secure on-line auction of high value items such as designer furniture, fashion and collectables, with recent transactions ranging from a dining table with royal connections to Mulberry handbags.

"Until now, it hasn’t really been possible to sell such high-profile items successfully on eBay, " explains Henderson. ‘ A Google search on this car reveals over 400,000 entries: vendors would be swamped by bids, unable to distinguish the bogus bids from the genuine ones. Equally, discerning collectors have tended to stick to the salerooms, where they can be sure of the authenticity of the lots. But by augmenting our secure sales service with this two-stage procedure, we are satisfied we can at last offer a safe and satisfactory trading environment to both buyers and sellers."

- ends -

For further information, contact Darren Henderson on 020 7237 3700 or email info@sellstuffeasy.com

Notes to editors:
SellStuffEasy acts on behalf of clients to sell luxury and high value items online, enabling them to sell with confidence and discretion, and entirely without hassle. Sales consultants handle the whole transaction from collection to completion, arranging photography, researching and cataloguing items, selecting the most appropriate online marketplace, and arranging payment and delivery. For vendors, it offers a convenient means realise the value of items that no longer fit with their lifestyles, while buyers can be certain of the authenticity and good condition of the lots they bid for.

ROLLS ROYCE - LOT INFORMATION:
Model: Silver Shadow 16,750cc Year: 1974
Colour: Silver Transmission: Auto Interior: Grey Leather with wood trim Mileage: 62,000
MOT: June 06 Tax: Feb 06
Previous Owners: 20
Features: Auto locking, electric windows, car phone, radio cassette player.

Bohemian Rhapsody has consistently topped Best Song Ever polls from 1977 to October 2005, where it featured in a special tribute programme on Radio 4. A high point was BBC Radio 2's Best of British poll 2002, where listeners chose their favourite piece of popular music from the last 50 years.

www.sellstuffeasy.com
SellStuffEasy Ltd.
Unit 8005
61 Willow Walk
Tower Bridge
London SE1 5SF