A significant event is taking place in Shelbyville, Kentucky, where various personal items of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders are being auctioned. These include a pressure cooker, his iconic black bow tie, and additional memorabilia. Also on the block are his former home and a dinner house he opened after he sold his famous restaurant chain.
Colonel Sanders is globally recognized as the face of the Kentucky Fried Chicken brand. He initially set up his business headquarters on the Shelbyville property during the 1950s. Later, in 1974, Sanders transferred ownership of the property, including his home and the Claudia Sanders Dinner House, to Tommy and Cherry Settle. The couple has managed the restaurant ever since.
Bill Menish, from The Menish Group, emphasized the widespread attention Sanders has received, stating, “Colonel Sanders was the original celebrity chef.” As interest is global, the auction is crafted to cater to this audience. Online pre-bidding will be followed by a live, in-person auction on Tuesday evening.
The auction includes sealed bids for Sanders’ 5,000-square-foot home, named Blackwood Hall, and the restaurant, which will be accepted until Friday. Among the items available are Sanders’ personal watches, an original cash register, a cutlery set, a bust sculpted by his daughter, and a commercial gas range. Notably, the bust reached a bid of $4,400, while the cash register stood at $5,000.
Although Sanders sold KFC to a group of investors in 1964, he remained an essential brand ambassador. Menish described Sanders as a “marketing genius,” referring to the persona of the colonel that he adopted, complete with specific clothing, a bow tie, glasses, and a goatee.
One unique auction item is a personal 1964 planner, featuring a handwritten herbs and spices recipe. This planner was previously involved in a lawsuit by KFC Corp to maintain its privacy until the action was dropped due to the planner’s contents not matching the secret blend of herbs and spices but likely pertaining to a stuffing recipe.
Also garnering substantial interest is a 1955 certificate that named Sanders an honorary Kentucky Colonel. This item received a bid of $7,500. Additionally, one of Sanders’ signature black bow ties exceeded an online bid of $4,000. Auctioneer Jonathan Klunk revealed an interesting detail about the bow ties, noting that Sanders often wore clip-on versions.
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