The memories of the 'King of Rock'n'Roll' Elvis Presley live on through an auction that was put up on yesterday, August 13 at Graceland, Presley's old home in Memphis, Tennessee.
The auction which contains a few rare items owned by the King himself, is part of the celebration of Elvis Week, which is an annual commemoration of his death.
A few other sales are conducted in January, which is his birth month. Laura Picket, the managing director of Graceland who manages and handles auctions for Graceland, said that online bidding is done several weeks before the actual event itself.
She also added that all the Elvis Presley artifacts are gathered from third-party collectors and none of it is owned by Graceland.
Among the 174 authenticated items include Elvis Presley's "Starburst" jumpsuit that he wore during his big concerts in Las Vegas back in the year 1973 and a diamond and gold pendant which he gave to Sammy Davis Jr.
Loyal Presley fans who have been collecting their idol's artifacts for years, even travel from far towns to attend Elvis Week. One of which is Joanne Colless, who with her partner, drove from Blue Mountains in Sydney, Australia, to be able to join the Elvis Week.
Colless eyed Presley's 1956 Enterprises sneakers in new condition, with its original box. The original owner of Presley's sneakers did not use them and had kept them as one of their collector's items.
They are expected to draw their bid up to $6,000. "I like the sneakers .. because my son is a dancer and I think he would really get a kick of having them to dance in. And to say he's actually been in the shoes of Elvis Presley."
Other items auctioned includ Presley's personal handgun he owned in 1974, the 'Viva Las Vegas' Jacket that Presley wore during his famous dance scene back in 1964 with an estimated bidding of $30,000 to $50,000, a dark suit worn in 1962, a 1956 Million Dollar Quartet Guitar and Elvis Presley's pinky ring.
