$20,000
A lock of hair obtained at the time of Elvis Presley's induction into the United States Army in 1958 after Presley was famously drafted. In March of 1958 Presley was sent to Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, where he received his famous military haircut. Fred Kinslow, of Greenwood, Arkansas, was 24 at the time and a barber at Fort Chaffee. Kinslow was present that day and remembered that it was so crowded in the shop with reporters and photographers it was difficult to move around. Presley's manager, Colonel Parker, ordered all of the cut locks be collected to be sent to fan clubs around the country. Some of the hair made its way to The Tulsa World newspaper in Oklahoma to be used in a newspaper contest. A column in the paper challenged its readers to complete in twenty-five words or less this sentence: "I think the U.S. Army can make the best use of Elvis Presley by..." The prize awarded to the top ten entries was a lock of Elvis' hair and the then unpublished photograph of Elvis losing his locks at Fort Chaffee. A Mrs. Sibyl Coughman was among the lucky winners who finished the sentence with, "...letting him give hip exercises to the soldiers to keep them trim and in fine shape like he is." The lock of hair is accompanied by the original transmittal envelope from The Tulsa World addressed to Mrs. Sibyl Coughman, Rt. 1, Box 108, Stilwell OK., postmarked April 23, 1958, and a black and white photo of Elvis receiving the famed haircut. Categories: Elvis Presley
Auctioneer:
Juliens Auctions
Date:
2010-06-24
