Elvis Presley’s own snow-white Lincoln limousine, as well as a Harley-Davidson motorcycle purchased a year before his untimely death, will be among the celebrity offerings at the Artifacts of Hollywood auction held August 31 by Kruse GWS auctions.
Vehicles, clothing, film and stage memorabilia, and personal belongings from such superstars as Presley, James Dean, Steve McQueen, Kurt Cobain, Johnny Cash, Marilyn Monroe, Jerry Lee Lewis and Jayne Mansfield, the Kruse auction says in a news release.
“Hollywood rebels, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and music stars that left us too soon highlight Kruse GWS Auction’s Artifacts of Hollywood,” according to the release.
Presley’s personal 1973 Lincoln Continental stretch limousine will be offered for the first time at auction. The limo has strong provenance with the iconic King of Rock n’ Roll, who drove it regularly and that became a regular fixture at Graceland, the auction says.
“The limousine featured all the amenities of the era, including a TV,” the release says. “The white-on-white model, with white exterior, interior and roof, has been on exhibit at the Elvis Presley Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.”
The motorcycle is a 1976 Harley Davidson FLH 1200 Electra Glide purchased by Presley in California, and which is known as the last motorcycle he owned. He sold it in Memphis, 90 days before his August 1977 death.
“The rare, one-of-a-kind motorcycle owned by Presley comes with all papers and historical documentation, including title and registration with Elvis’s name still on it,” according to Kruse.
The Harley had been in display at the Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo, South Dakota, since the late 1980s, where it stood enclosed in a glass case.
Another vehicle at auction with an Elvis connection is a restored 1967 GMC short-bed pickup truck, one of three that he bought new for use at his Circle G Ranch in Mississippi. The trucks were kept for two years until Presley’s father, Vernon, sold them back to the dealership.
One other vehicle listed by the auction company is a quirky creation by another famous king, the King of Kustomizers, George Barris – the Geoffreymobile that he built for the now-defunct Toys ‘R Us company.
Among the rare pieces of Steve McQueen movie history at auction is his racing jacket from the movie Le Mans, verified by a letter from the set costumer.
Brigitte Kruse, founder and head of the auction company, said the items at auction provide a glimpse into the private lives of famed celebrities.
“This auction is stellar,” Kruse said in the release. “The variety of personal and never-before-offered possessions and vehicles are extraordinary.
“Our focus has always been to preserve history while offering fans and collectors from around the world the opportunity to own unbelievable treasures from moments that shaped our culture.”
For more information and the lengthy list of Hollywood and music memorabilia to be presented by Kruse GWS Auction at its Artifacts of Hollywood sale in Agoura Hills, California, visit the auction website.
There’s been a ton of McQueen cars and other memorabilia surfacing at auction lately. Seems like someone’s still trying to cash in on the McQueen legacy. Elvis Presley stuff doesn’t come up that often anymore. That makes his stuff more interesting to me than that of McQueen.
Agreed. And really, The King couldn’t get a chauffeur? Some years back, I test drove a ’70’s era stretch Benz- nothing like the ridiculous monstrosities one sees now, but big- and it absolutely sucked in traffic. I have now this picture in my head of Elvis, bombed out of his gourd, terrorizing the citizenry in the great white Lincoln, cackling maniacally and cranking up the stereo, and no one called the cops, ‘cuz, well, Elvis.
And I always thought he was a Caddy kinda guy.
You never walked in that mans shoes or saw the world thru his eyes so who are you to make derogatory comments about a very generous guy who would have probably given you the Lincoln and the shirt of his back. Show respect. You have faults too as do we all and remember what he gave to the world Ryan.