Singer Elvis Presley was one of the most influential musical figures in the world. He continues to command much praise and attention even after almost five decades since his demise. Thanks to this everlasting legacy, a pair of shoes worn by him was auctioned for £120,000 (approximately Rs 1.2 crore). These blue suede shoes were donned by the singer on and off stage in the 1950s. As per the Henry Aldridge and Son auction house, Elvis Presley wore these shoes when he performed “Hound Dog and I Want You, I Need You, I Love You” on The Steve Allen Show.
The multiple Grammy award-winning singer reportedly gifted these 10.5 size shoes to his friend Alan Portas before leaving for the US Army. “King of Rock and Roll” served in the United States Army from 1958 to 1960. In a conversation with BBC, auctioneer Andrew Aldridge described the shoes as “They are as iconic as they can be.” He added, “Blue suede shoes, Hound dog, these are things that you think of immediately when you talk about Elvis Presley, they almost transcend popular culture.”
The authenticity of the shoes was established by a “letter of authenticity” signed by Jimmy Velvet, a close friend of Elvis Presley and the founder of the Elvis Presley Museum. Additionally, Alan Fortas, who received these shoes as a gift also wrote a letter asserting their genuineness.
In his letter, Alan Fortas mentioned that the night before Elvis Presley left for the army, he spent late-night partying at his mansion in Graceland. This was followed by a trip to a roller rink. He recalled, “When we all got home Elvis called some of us upstairs and was giving away some of his clothes he didn’t think he would be wearing or wanted when he came back from the army. That night Elvis gave me these blue suede shoes size 10 1/2. I’ve owned these all these years.”
The above-mentioned pair of shoes is not the only item owned by the Heartbreak Hotel hitmaker that fetched a high price at auction. Last year, his coat was purchased for £128,000 (approximately Rs 1.3 crore) by a US collector. Elvis Presley wore this coat during the last year of his life and gifted it to the brother of his fiancée Ginger Alden before he died in 1977.
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