ELVIS PRESLEY’S ICONIC BLUE SUEDE SHOES SELL FOR £120,000 AT AUCTION

Sat 06 July 2024:

A pair of blue suede shoes worn by Elvis Presley in the early stages of his career fetched £120,000 ($151,713) at an auction.

Known as the king of rock and roll, Presley wore these shoes both on and off stage during the 1950s, including during his performance of “Hound Dog” on the Steve Allen television show. He later gave the size 10.5 shoes to a friend after being drafted into the US Army.

Presley had acquired the shoes after performing “Blue Suede Shoes” by Carl Perkins on his debut album, “Elvis Presley.” The shoes were expected to fetch between £100,000 and £120,000 at Henry Aldridge & Son auctioneers in Devizes, Wiltshire, and ultimately sold for £95,000 as the hammer price, reaching £120,000 with buyer’s premium and VAT included.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge described the shoes as “iconic” and said, “They almost transcend popular culture. They are just an exceptional piece of show business, music, and popular culture memorabilia.”

The shoes have a well-documented provenance, having been passed directly from Presley to the present day. Aldridge explained that Elvis gave the shoes to his friend and branch manager, Alan Fortas, during a gathering at Graceland before joining the army.

Over the years, the shoes have been displayed in various museums and were authenticated by Jimmy Velvet, a close friend of Presley and a leading authority on the singer.

Last year, the auction house sold a mink coat owned by Presley for £128,000 to a US collector.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

______________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22