Auction of Colonel Sanders’ Personal Items and Property

SHELBYVILLE, Ky. (AP) — An auction featuring items belonging to KFC founder Colonel Sanders is set for Tuesday night. The auction includes his pressure cooker, black bow tie, and other memorabilia. The event also offers his former home and Claudia Sanders Dinner House.

Colonel Harland Sanders, recognized globally for Kentucky Fried Chicken, established the Shelbyville property as the initial headquarters for his restaurant chain in the late 1950s. In 1974, Sanders sold the site, including his home and the restaurant, to Tommy and Cherry Settle. They have managed the restaurant since then.

Auctioneer Jonathan Klunk displayed a black bow tie worn by Sanders. Bill Menish from The Menish Group, organizing the auction, noted the international interest prompted them to accommodate a worldwide audience. Online pre-bidding ends with a live, in-person auction on Tuesday evening. Sealed offers for Sanders’ home, named Blackwood Hall, will be accepted until Friday.

Items up for auction include Sanders’ personal watches, an original cash register, a cutlery set, a bust by his daughter, and a commercial gas range from his residence. The bust bid reached $4,400, and the cash register had a $5,000 bid.

Sanders sold KFC in 1964 but continued as a brand ambassador. The Claudia Sanders Dinner House, a property once owned by the KFC founder, remains part of the auction. Menish described Sanders as a “marketing genius” for crafting the Colonel persona, complete with distinctive attire and features.

Notably, a 1964 planner featuring a handwritten herbs and spices recipe is on offer. This planner was involved in a 2000s lawsuit to maintain its privacy, though KFC later dismissed the case. It was determined that the recipe differed from the secret blend of 11 herbs and spices.

The current highest bid is for a 1955 certificate naming Sanders as a Kentucky Colonel, at $7,500. A signature black bow tie also holds a top bid of over $4,000. Auctioneer Jonathan Klunk shared a tidbit about Sanders’ bow tie, revealing he often wore clip-ons.