Auction Features KFC Founder Colonel Sanders’ Memorabilia

In Shelbyville, Kentucky, a unique auction featuring personal items of KFC’s founder, Colonel Harland Sanders, is set to take place. Notable pieces available for bidding include his pressure cooker, signature black bow tie, and numerous other belongings. This event also includes the auction of Sanders’ former home and the Claudia Sanders Dinner House.

Colonel Sanders, renowned globally as the face of Kentucky Fried Chicken, established the initial headquarters of his restaurant in Shelbyville during the late 1950s. The property, encompassing his residence and the dinner house, was sold in 1974 to Tommy and Cherry Settle, who have since managed the site.

Bill Menish, representing The Menish Group that coordinates the auction, highlighted Sanders as a pioneering celebrity chef. Menish mentioned that due to global interest, the auction aims to appeal to international audiences. While online pre-bidding wraps up, a live auction will occur on Tuesday evening for the Sanders memorabilia.

In addition to the memorabilia, sealed bids for Sanders’ home, known as Blackwood Hall, are open until Friday. Items in the auction include watches, an original cash register, cutlery, a bust sculpted by his daughter, and a commercial gas range from Sanders’ former home. By Tuesday morning, the bust had attracted a $4,400 bid, while the cash register was at $5,000.

Although Sanders sold KFC in 1964 to investors, he remained a brand ambassador. Bill Menish remarked on Sanders’ marketing prowess, illustrating how he crafted the Colonel’s iconic image, complete with clothing, bow tie, glasses, and goatee.

Among the memorabilia is a 1964 planner containing a handwritten herbs and spices recipe, which was once at the center of a lawsuit by KFC Corp. The legal action was later dropped after determining the planner’s recipe did not align with Sanders’ secret blend.

Also of significance is a 1955 certificate conferring Sanders as an honorary Kentucky Colonel, receiving bids of $7,500 thus far. A signature black bow tie has seen online offers exceeding $4,000. Auctioneer Jonathan Klunk shared an intriguing detail about the bow tie, revealing that Sanders preferred clip-ons.