Elvis Presley Memorabilia And Collectibles

Online auction site gottahaverockandroll.com recently sold Elvis Presley’s famous 1974 stage-worn peacock jumpsuit for US$300,000.


Based in New York, the online auctioneer acquires celebrity collectibles at other auctions or estate sales then sells them to serious collectors for profit.

Memorabilia enthusiasts are particularly interested in buying authentic costumes once worn by one of the world’s most adored and imitated musical performers. Knowledgeable collectors are willing to pay a premium from a piece of Rock and Roll music history, whether from Elvis Presley’s live concerts or from one of his many Hollywood films.

Elvis Presley’s Collector Item Costumes

Elvis wore the $300,000 peacock jumpsuit during 5 months of concert tours starting in May 1974. Custom-tailored by renown Los Angeles designer Bill Belew, the peacock costume is a zippered one-piece outfit with a rhinestone peacock on front and back with tail feathers that spiral down the suit’s legs to their flared ends. The peacock costume cost $10,000 to make, and was Bill Belew’s most expensive Elvis creation as well as the King’s favorite wardrobe.

The online auction also sold the cream-colored millionaire suit that Elvis wore in his 1967 movie Clambake. The winning bidder bought the King’s custom-made shirt, pants and jacket with a pattern of stitched arrows for $132,000.

Comprised of a red sash, white shirt and white pants, Elvis Presley’s costume from the 1961 movie Blue Hawaii sold online for $23,958. The King’s makeup artist from the 1960s, William Tuttle, contributed the movie costume with a letter that describes how Elvis gave Tuttle the outfit.

One of the most hotly contested items in the Rock And Roll Auction was a red wool jacket that Elvis wore on the cover of his album Kissin’ Cousins. Nine competitors bid the price up to a final of $23,350.80 - even though the pre-auction estimated high price was only $10,000. The red jacket is the only known piece of clothing that Elvis signed and that was worn on an album cover.

Other Elvis Celebrity Memorabilia

One auction participant paid $60,000 for the Grammy Award that Elvis won in 1972 for the gospel-inspired album He Touched Me.

The online auction also sold a 14k gold ring that Elvis wore during many of his concerts during the 1970s but eventually gave to his promoter, Tom Hulett. Featuring a 5-dollar coin with an American Indian Chief’s Head circled by diamonds, the Elvis ring won $22,260 from the successful bidder.

A signed and inscribed color print of an Elvis portrait went for $3,866, while an autographed photo collection garnered $2,494.80. An original $2 ticket to the Elvis Presley Show in Troy, Ohio on November 24, 1956 won a final bid of $2,128.80.



Elvis Collectibles Available On eBay

The baby boom generation still remembers how the King made them feel when they were younger, and demand Elvis souvenirs to help them reminisce. More than 20,000 websites either directly offer or link to online stores that sell Elvis merchandise to his legions of fans worldwide.

eBay, the number 8 website in the United States in terms of online traffic, offers almost 9,000 Elvis-related items. The average price of Elvis merchandise on eBay is about US$45 before shipping charges, with many small mementos including mouse pads, photos, calendars, movie posters and Elvis Presley dolls.

Top 50s Pop Music Groups, Singers and Hit Songs
Red Yeast Rice for High Cholesterol

However, eBay does offer more expensive Pop Culture souvenirs purportedly from Elvis. An Elvis Presley hair lock on a signed plaque with a photo of the King getting his hair cut costs $299 with no shipping charges.

At the upper end, eBay offers an 8 millimeter film of Elvis Presley in concert for $20,000. And this just in: elvispresleymuseum.com has listed a copy of Elvis Presley’s signed contract to appear on Milton Berle’s television show for the April 3, 1956 broadcast aboard the USS Hancock. The asking price is $30,000.


Author Sunil S.


Comments