Talk about owning a piece of the ‘King of Rock and Roll’…
We all know that the obsession that fans can have over their idols can sometimes be a little over the top, but this surely takes it to another level.
A jar of Elvis Presley’s hair including “extensive documentation” recently fetched $72,500 (RM300,000) over the past weekend. This was revealed by high profile, celebrity-owned assets auctioneers, Kruse GWS who announced it via a news release.
The description of the item reads, “This collection of hair was saved from haircuts given to Elvis Presley by his personal barber Homer Gilleland over the years and represents the largest, and most well-documented collection of Elvis’ hair in the world.”
“This isn’t a lock of hair that you typically find, but is a massive, baseball sized specimen which has not been offered for sale in nearly 20 years. This lot of hair is incredibly well documented, and made history when it was sold to our seller in 2002 for for over $115,000, a world record which it still holds.”
The letters of authenticity state the circumstance surrounding the procurement of such a large amount of Elvis’ hair and also comes with a letter from John Reznikoff (the world’s most trusted authority in the field of hair collecting today) verifying its authenticity, and a notarized letter from John Heath (one of the world’s foremost Elvis memorabilia expert).
It also includes a binder full of airline receipts purchased by Elvis to fly Gilleland while he travelled with Elvis to style and cut his hair, numbering 117 in total (some are copies of the receipts).
“The importance of this collection of hair is unmatched due to its astounding provenance and massive size. This is a once in a lifetime find and a must have for a serious Elvis collector.”
Elvis’ Iconic Eyelet Jumpsuit & Cape Sold For World Record
One of the King of Rock and Roll’s most iconic memorabilia also managed to break the world record during the Artifacts of Hollywood & Music auction held last Saturday, 4 September.
The Elvis Presley Eyelet Jumpsuit and Cape from his 1972 Madison Square Garden performances sold for a record USD$1,012,500 (RM4,191,993) as announced by Kruse GWS Auctions.
The ensemble was designed by famous costume designer Bill Belew and it became one of the most photographed and iconic costumes of Elvis’ career and marked his first live performance at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The Eyelet jumpsuit and cape had previously been in a private collection for over 30 years prior to it going to auction.
Brigitte Kruse, Founder and Lead Auctioneer of Kruse GWS Auctions said, “We are thrilled to have hosted such an exciting auction this weekend where fans and collectors from around the globe bid on extraordinary memorabilia from the life and career of Elvis Presley.”
“The outstanding sale of his iconic 1972 Madison Square Garden eyelet jumpsuit and cape represents not only a world record price but is a true testament to the legendary reverence and love people still feel for him.”
Other auction highlights also include a racing helmet worn by Elvis in the film “Viva Las Vegas” for USD$23,750 (RM98,329), his “Frankie & Johnny” tuxedo tailcoat for USD$75,000 (RM310,509), his personal and stage-worn boots for USD$28,750 (RM119,028), sheet music from his 1968 Comeback Special at USD$15,000 (RM62,101), and his custom eagle belt at USD$25,000 (RM103,503).
Do you think it was worth the price? Let us know in the comments.
Also read: Obsessing, Idolising Or Worshipping Your Favourite Celebrities Could Be Very Harmful! Here’s Why
