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A Big Hunk o’ Elvis’ Hair And Babs’ Clothes
Although countless guys have tried to imitate Elvis Presley’s famous pompadour, one lucky fan now owns a clump of the real thing. The hair was auctioned off for $15,000 this weekend along with a slew of other Elvis items.
The auction took place Sunday at the Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago and featured 200 pieces of memorabilia including Elvis dolls and Elvis pez, photos from Presley’s 1967 wedding to Priscilla, Christmas cards, a telegram and women’s handkerchiefs that allegedly wiped sweat from the singer’s brow.
The telegram brought in $1,400, the wedding photos were sold for $4,000 and several handkerchiefs fetched $600.
The clump of Elvis’ hair was allegedly saved back in 1958 when The King sat down for a trim in preparation for his Army stint. The strange souvenir was sold for $15,000 plus an additional $3,300 in auction house fees.
Photo: AP Photo
A clump of Elvis Presley’s hair was auctioned off for $15,000 this weekend at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago.
Leslie Hindman, chief executive of the auction house, said she thought the hair would have fetched a higher bid but she blamed the bad economy.
“Nobody’s going to buy a hunk of hair for a crazy price,” she said, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The priciest item at the auction, a white cotton shirt with an “EP” monogram, sold for $52,000.
All of the Elvis items belonged to the late Gary Pepper, the president of a Presley fan club who was also buddies with The King.
Elvis wasn’t the only star with his very own auction this weekend.
Barbra Streisand fans gathered at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, Calif., this weekend to bid on nearly 600 souvenirs from the singer/actress’ career and personal collection.
A wig worn in “On A Clear Day You Can See Forever” sold for $3,500, an apron from “A Star is Born” fetched $1,750, a robe from “The Way We Were” brought in nearly $6,000, a dress from “Funny Lady” sold for $3,500 and an outfit from “Meet The Fockers” was sold for $3,500.
Items from her personal collection included a Dirk Van Erp table lamp that raked in $30,000, boots for $562.50 and a group of teddy bears for $687.50. The auction also featured books, designer furniture, paintings and jewelry.
All proceeds from the auction went to Streisand’s favorite charities including City Year, the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation and the Cedars-Sinai Women’s Heart Health Center.
Click here for the Chicago Tribune article.