Category Archives: PRODUCTS BASED ON ELVIS

ElvisBlog Mini-Nuggets # 26

Posted on September 14, 2019 by Phil Arnold | 6 comments

Energizer Bunny:

What’s the Energizer Bunny playing his drum have to do with Elvis? Not much. But there is some resemblance to Laid-back Elvis Hound Dog playing his guitar.

Maybe what we need is an Energizer Elvis Bunny playing guitar.

Or…maybe not.

Elvis Pins:

The August 13 Graceland Auction had some interesting collections of 1956 pins worn by Elvis fans. These pictures were blown up from tiny images, so they are a little fuzzy.

“I like Elvis” was a popular theme, and the message was done with several different designs.

They even made pins for the folks that didn’t like Elvis.

Here are some other interesting themes.

This has to be my favorite pin message.

Song titles connected with Elvis seem to have been popular, too.

I had to look this one up in a Yiddish Slang Dictionary. It said, “Exclamation of shock or fear. This is similar to the expression ‘oy vey’ but with a larger sense of doom.” So Elvis caused some people to feel a sense of doom??? Give me a break

Vince Everett:

You good fans will remember this was Elvis’ character’s name in Jailhouse Rock. With the help of Peggy Van Alden (Judy Tyler), Vince became a recording star. He and Peggy founded Laurel Records, and these picture sleeves represent the first three records Vince released during the movie. Here are the fake 45 RPM records in paper sleeves used during filming.

This record had significant screen time in the movie. Note that this sleeve is actually autographed by Elvis.

Elvis sang all five of these songs in the movie, making Jailhouse Rock one of his best sound tracks. The sixth song in the movie was “I Want to Be Free,” which I ranked #7 on my Top 10 list of Elvis songs in a 2012 post.

Elvis Karate Fight MARKER:

On June 24, 1977, while riding from the Madison, Wisconsin airport to his hotel, Elvis noticed a street fight in progress at E. Washington Ave and Stoughton Road. It was two young men pummeling a teen on the ground.

While his limo was stopped at the nearby red light, Elvis ran from the car and threatened the combatants with a classic karate stance, and reportedly yelled, “I’ll take you on.” The young men recognized Elvis and stopped fighting in favor of shaking hands with the star. Elvis reportedly left after ensuring that everything was settled and taking time to shake hands with several onlookers.

A plaque to commemorate the event was installed at the site. It shows Elvis with a guitar and describes the incident. The plaque is not in good shape now. A metal plate bearing a description of what happened that day has been pried from the stone. But the image of Elvis, remained on the marker.

Elvis had flown into Madison for a performance at the Dane County Coliseum, part of his final tour. Unfortunately, his death came just 53 days later

Elvis’ $1.8 Million Dollar Watch:

A 1960 Omega watch that once belonged to Elvis sold at auction in May 2018 for $1.8 million. Wow.

It set a record price for the any Swiss Omega watch brand ever sold. Wow.

The timepiece sold for 18 times the highest estimate. Wow

RCA Records gave Elvis the watch to commemorate him selling 75 million records.

The watch is a manually winding, 18ct white-gold Omega Calibre 510, adorned with 44 round diamonds. It features the logo of Tiffany & Co – the company that originally sold the watch.

The back of the watch carries the inscription: “TO ELVIS, 75 MILLION RECORDS, RCA VICTOR, 12-25-60” – marking the date, December 25, 1960, when Elvis’ record sales reached that landmark.

Al Hirschfeld’s Caricatures of Elvis:

My son and his fiance treated themselves to a long weekend trip to New York City, and they took in a musical at the Al Hirschfeld Theater. His name sounded familiar, so I Googled him and found out he was regarded as the greatest caricaturist of the 20th century.

His biography included samples of his incredible drawings of famous people, including Elvis Presley. Here are three of the best.

This is regarded as the first published caricature of Elvis. It appeared in the July 6, 1956, issue of Collier’s magazine to illustrate a column criticizing the singer and his fans.

This one is titled Blue Suede Shoes and was a limited edition print (300 copies) in 1999. One sold at auction recently for $1,500.

A version of this drawing was published by The New York Times on December 1, 1968, in anticipation of the broadcast of the NBC-TV special Elvis two days later. This version was used to make limited-edition lithographs. An autographed copy sold at Heritage Auctions for $2,500.

That Al Hirschfeld link led me to another site with almost a hundred cool Elvis caricatures, and I had never seen 75% of them before. I can’t wait to do a blog post on the best ones.

© 2019 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

6 Comments

Posted in COOL STUFF OUT THERE IN ELVISWORLD, IMAGES, Main Page, PRODUCTS BASED ON ELVIS, THE MOST UNUSUAL ELVIS ARTICLES ON THE WEB

Tagged Elvis Caricatures, Elvis Marker, Elvis Pins, Elvis Vince Everett, Elvis Watch

Elvis Merchandise – Circa 1956

Posted on August 24, 2019 by Phil Arnold | 11 comments

ElvisBlog does an article or two after each Auction at Graceland and usually covers an interesting mix of items. However, the recently completed auction held during Elvis Week had one item that provided more than enough for this post.

Don’t worry if you can’t make out the pictures on here. I will cover each one with a large enough image for you to make out not only the pictures but most of the texts as well.

What we have here is a 1956 Elvis Presley Enterprises merchandising guide poster featuring thirty-five items. It measures 16 inches by 26 inches and sold for $250 at the auction to Glenn Johnson, a big Elvis collector in Texas. I talked to him by email, and he said he owns all but five of these items.

Here is a part of the website description of this merchandising guide poster:

In 1956 as Elvis’ career was hitting the fast track, Colonel Parker partnered with Hank Saperstein to create a merchandising machine that would bring the superstar into the home and hearts of every youngster around the nation. Elvis Presley Enterprises placed Elvis’ image on everything from clothing and jewelry to toys, shoes, lipstick and so much more. This was a stroke of marketing genius.

The poster was sent to distributors with the notation that each of the creators of the items would provide advertising help to the local retailers.

Let’s look at the 1956 Elvis merchandise on this poster, going from left to right starting at the top of the poster.

Crew Hat:

This hat must have been one of the best sellers, because I’ve seen them in lots of photos of the fans. Here’s a larger photo in color.

And here’s one of Elvis wearing the hat when he performed in Tupelo.

Head Scarf:

I was a teenager in 1956, and I just don’t remember the girls wearing scarfs, so this item may have not sold very well.

Here it is in color. Elvis was known to wear a bit of eye make-up, and the artist shows it here.

Elvis Presley Fashions:

The text says iridescent 50/50 felt. I believe this is one of them.

Teenage Lipstick:

So, what would have been your preference, ladies? Hound Dog Pink or Heartbreak Hotel Red?

Skimmer Pump Shoes:

I never heard of skimmer pump shoes, so I looked them up, and It appears that skimmer pump is another name for flats. This is one of the items that collector Glenn Johnson does not have. I guess most of them got worn to death and were finally discarded.

Elvis Presley’s Hound Dog:

I tried to look up a good color picture of this Elvis stuffed hound dog. I couldn’t find it, but there are dozens of other licensed and unlicensed ones on Google. It might be fun to post a Top 10 Review of the best ones.

Elvis Presley Statue:

I’m not sure 7-1/2 inches tall qualifies as a statue, but, hey, what do you want for a buck?

Talking Record:

I did some research on this, but it’s still a little hazy. I think in the beginning it was just a small 78 RPM record. Collector Glenn Johnson has not been able to find this item for his extensive collection.

However, there are many photos of the record attached to the cover of a 32-page magazine. Here’s one that sold at the Auction at Graceland in January 2017.

It sold for $312.50. Years later, a CD version of this talking record was released.

Crew Neck Polo Shirt and Girl’s Knit Pajamas:

The left side of the poster combines three clothing items with the same Elvis design. In addition to the crew neck polo shirt above, there was also a boat-neck version.

Unlike most items on the poster these don’t list the retail price. However, there was a polo shirt and hat combo on the recent Auction at Graceland that sold for $343.75.

This one looks like it had a lot of wear. Plus, they may have called it a polo shirt, but it’s really a T-shirt.

Canvas Sneakers:

A pair of these sneakers and the original box, both in pristine condition, were sold at the August 13, 2015 Auction at Graceland for $3,750.

Elvis Presley Handkerchiefs:

One of these handkerchiefs and the scarf sold for $312.50 at the last auction.

Billfolds:

They didn’t use a very good quality photo for these. Here are three of the billfold designs in color.

.

Bookends:

I found a pair of these on eBay, but they were sold and the price didn’t appear.

The eBay text says they are very rare.

Mittens:

I could not find another picture of the Elvis mittens. And Glenn Johnson has never found them to add to his collection.

Belts and Bolo ties:

Here’s one of the belts I found on eBay for $1,450.

There’s a surprising variety of Elvis bolos out there on the internet, none of them seem to the 1956 models.

Socks:

I couldn’t find any better pictures of these.

Rock and Roll Photo Wallet:

Combo Bag:

Medallion Necklaces:

I found this one on ebth.com.

I can’t believe it sold for just $30.

Black Twill Jeans and Simtex Shirt:

I couldn’t find either of these on the internet. Maybe all that sold got worn out and thrown away. Or maybe they didn’t sell at all because there was no image of Elvis on them. Glenn Johnson doesn’t have either, so I’m guessing they will never be in his collection.

Charm Bracelet:

These were easy find on the internet.

I hope you enjoyed this look at all the Elvis stuff from 1956. The Auction at Graceland has been the source for many ElvisBlog posts, but I think this was one of the most interesting.

My thanks to Glenn Johnson for the information he provided for this post. If you want to see his collection in a 15 minute on YouTube, click here:

© 2019 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

11 Comments

Posted in AUCTIONS / MEMORABILIA, Main Page, PRODUCTS BASED ON ELVIS, THE MOST UNUSUAL ELVIS ARTICLES ON THE WEB

Tagged Elvis collectibles, Elvis merchandise

The Good, the Bad, and the Mildly Amusing

Posted on July 12, 2019 by Phil Arnold | 6 comments

One of the things taking up space in my Fuzzy Room of Elvis stuff is a stack of old ShopElvis.com catalogs.

I don’t know what motivated me to save them, but they are headed to the recycle bin now. Before they go, I thought it would be fun to feature some of the more interesting offers here on ElvisBlog.

SUMMER 2007

The Good:

Although this light is pretty expensive, it is very cool. Turn it on and have the red lights blink in sequence while “Don’t Be Cruel” plays. Perfect for a party.

The Bad:

This is just pathetic. The sunglasses look fine, but those phony sideburns hanging down from the temples are lame. I’d be embarrassed to wear this. The wig sucks, too.

The Good and Bad:

I like the bottom plate because of the good color picture of Elvis and the simple clear message. The top one is stupid. RCK N’RL just doesn’t work, and the Elvis picture isn’t near as good.

The Mildly Amusing:

This shirt is pretty dark and hard to read, but that’s part of its appeal to me. Say you’re walking toward someone wearing this shirt; the first thing you could make out is FREAK. “Hmm, what’s this?” Then Stone Cold Natural comes into focus. “Hmm, who is it?” And finally, you see the answer is Elvis. Okay!

Non-fans have no idea that “Stone cold natural freak” is part of an Elvis quote from his August 1, 1969 opening night at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. He was actually relating to his audience what they might be thinking about his return to live concerts.

“Hair flying everywhere, he’s gotta be a weirdo, man, I’ll tell you. Stone cold natural freak, man. That’s why he ain’t been in public nine years.”

I can’t believe Graceland ever authorized an Elvis T-shirt that calls him a freak.

FALL 2007:

The Good:

I own this book; bought it when it was first offered. It’s wonderful, filled with terrific jumpsuit photos. A real bargain. If there was a catalog Hall of Fame for good Elvis stuff, this book would be the first inductee.

The Bad:

Notwithstanding the history of this design, I think it’s way low on eye appeal. It looks like Elvis had Charlie or one of the guys iron white letters onto blue T-shirts. And what does having “ElvisInsider’s.com” on the back add?

Here’s the shirt’s design history. Elvis Presley Enterprises sponsored a football team in the early 60s. Elvis is circled, and you can easily find Red West. If anyone knows that other players were Memphis Mafia, put it in Comments. [Frequent commenter Gerard Montz has identified Alan Fortas to Red’s left, and on the opposite end of that row Sonny west.]

The Mildly Amusing:

This is amusing because it is both good and bad. The price of $115 is pretty steep. The big problem is that it’s terrible as a cookie jar. You would have to use both hands to pick up the lid. The good part is that probably nobody will ever put cookies in it. It’ll look fine on a shelf.

More Good:

$22 sounds like a very good deal for 3 CDs of Elvis Karaoke songs. In a tin, no less. They did a good job picking out the three photos. I never bought this set, and now I kind of wish I had. I’d play them while doing stuff like house cleaning, just singing away.

SUMMER 2008, Vol 2

The Good:

This item makes no pretense of being a simulated real gold record award, but they have done a good job creating a pseudo one. This plaque would look great hanging on a wall with other Elvis stuff. The record is gold-plated, the photo is colorful, everything is nicely arranged, and the matting is first class. I think it justifies the high $150 price tag.

The Bad:

I can’t figure this one out. Does the salt and pepper come out end of the guitars’ necks? If so, could there be room for more than one hole? That would take a whole lot of shaking to get anything out. How do the guitars stand up? Not worth $30 to me. We have looked at other Elvis salt and pepper shakers on ElvisBlog before, and they were all better than this set.

The Mildly Amusing:

The main item here is the Elvis shower curtain, and for some reason, I like it. My wife would never allow it, though. I wonder if you ladies would be intimidated by having Elvis in the room while you are undressed…or maybe not. If you want something a little less in-your-face, maybe the Elvis soap dispenser is more your speed.

The one part of this set I totally dislike is the Elvis trash can. It’s made of clear plastic, so a pile of used tissues and other junk will frame Elvis’ picture. Please, no. EPE failed to meet their own standards for objectional use of an Elvis image. I can’t believe many people bought a trash can with Elvis on it.

More Bad:

I’m sure my dog wouldn’t care if his collar had pictures from Elvis movie lobby cards on it. And his fur would cover them up so much I couldn’t see them, anyway.

The collar is made of leather and the images are not bad. Maybe they should just make it longer and market it as a belt for people.

SUMMER 2008, Vol 3

The Good:

The photo of this wallet in the catalog is about 1” by 1-1/4” so you could barely make out the embossed image of Elvis. But in actual size it is pretty good. $40 doesn’t seem outrageous for an Elvis leather wallet, so this one works for me.

The Bad:

I like the idea of a leather Elvis duffel bag, although the $500 price is way too much. But what ruins this item for me are the images of Elvis that are screen-printed onto it. Here’s a blow-up.

The one on the left is just bizarre. There is an Elvis head coming out of the top of another Elvis head. That’s bad enough, but the distended hand freaks me out. That’s just about the ugliest Elvis image I’ve ever seen. The other one is better, but the S in Elvis is part cut off. What genius came up with these two losers?

The Mildly Amusing:

I don’t know how ShopElvis figured people would choose the socks based in these tiny catalog pictures of them. Today, everything is sold online, and you can get a big image with just a click. Much Better.

As I studied these socks, several were just a jumble of shapes and colors I couldn’t make out. I wondered what “Comic Elvis” really looked like, so I blew it up.

To me, this should be called “Angry Elvis.” It probably wasn’t a big seller. I sort of like the socks with the white suit from the ’69 Comeback Special.

FALL 2008

The Good:

I have stated in here many times how much I like Joe Petruccio’s artwork of Elvis. There just doesn’t seem to be any end to the wonderful images he creates. And, Graceland has been very liberal using them on all sorts of products. I think using them on flasks is a great idea. My favorite would be the Sundial Jumpsuit back view – the one Elvis wore at his last concerts.

The Bad:

Now that I’ve said good things about Joe Petruccio, I hope he won’t mind if I criticize one of his paintings. Sorry, but I just don’t find this image of Elvis attractive. Maybe in those big poster reprint he sells online the image will show better.

The Mildly Amusing:

When I first saw this, I said, “Hey, that’s a good idea, and $60 seems reasonable.” Then I realized with two of these designs your butt would be sitting on Elvis. Maybe that wouldn’t turn others off, but for me it would have to be a set of the signature bar stools.

More Good:

You know about the “Elvis Presley Boulevard” street signs that came out decades ago. Here’s a nice alternative. $13 sounds like a good deal for a 24” long sign. If I had one it would be installed over the doorway to my Fuzzy Room of Elvis goodies.

More Bad:

There are a number of die-cast models of different cars Elvis owned out there. I’m fine with that. But why did they do a 1957 Chevy station wagon? Elvis never owned one of them. Sometimes, they just go overboard trying to think of new Elvis stuff to sell us.

So that’s it. The first five ShopElvis catalogs in my stack. There are lots more, so we will do this again.

© 2019 Philip R Arnold, Original ElvisBlogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

6 Comments

Posted in Main Page, PRODUCTS BASED ON ELVIS

Tagged Elvis merchandise, ShopElvis.com

Elvis Goodies from the Fuzzy Room – Part 5

Posted on October 28, 2018 by Phil Arnold | 4 comments

It’s been two months since I last posted a group of Elvis collectibles for sale on here. I need to be more regular with this, because the time to move and down-size is steadily approaching. Thanks for helping me find new homes for the Elvis stuff I’ve collected for decades and displayed in my Fuzzy Room.

Please Note: The prices are for delivery to USA destinations only.
Postal rates to other countries are just prohibitive and mailing to
them is way more hassle. Sorry.

Graceland Book:

This is a terrific book. It has 253 pages containing hundreds of photographs, most in color, and many are full-page or larger. Nearly all were taken just for this book by the Director of Photography at Memphis State University. They are sharp, clear, and beautiful. And many show you details in the various rooms of Graceland that we have not seen elsewhere.

The text accompanying the photographs was written by Chet Flippo, Senior Editor at Rolling Stone magazine. You will learn plenty of new stuff here, too. In addition to chapters on every room at Graceland (except Elvis’ bedroom), it covers his automobiles and planes, the ’68 Comeback Special, the Army days, Gold Lamé Suit, Aloha from Hawaii, Tupelo home, Elvis memorabilia, and much more.

Please disregard the shadow across the cover in my photograph. This book will look great on your coffee table. When it was originally published in 1993, the price was $60. I am willing to let it go for $18 delivered. It is in very good shape. Move fast to snap up this deal.

’68 Comeback Special Salt & Pepper Shakers:

(Editor’s Note: This has been sold. The first set of Elvis salt and pepper shakers offered on here also went very fast. I wish I had more.)

Considering all the stuff Graceland is offering in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the TV special, I’m surprised they didn’t bring back this one.

The round shaker with The Elvis picture on it is the salt shaker. The Elvis in Red Lights is the pepper shaker.

And this is how they go together on your dining room table. The set can be yours for $12 delivered.

James Burton Autographed CD:

(Editor’s Note: This item has been sold.)

We all know about James Burton playing guitar for Ricky Nelson before joining Elvis in 1969. In between he recorded this album. Here is what one Amazon reviewer said about it:

“The jaw-dropping Telecaster work of James Burton and the ethereal pedal-steel sound of Ralph Mooney led Elvis Presley, Merle Haggard and countless others to recruit them for their sessions. They also cut a bunch of tunes together in the late ’60s; here are those killer cuts: Columbus Stockade Blues; The Texas Waltz; Moonshine; Your Cheatin’ Heart; Spanish Eyes , and more.”

I am offering the CD autographed by James Burton for $6 delivered.

Readers Digests with Elvis Articles:

(Editor’s Note: This item has been sold.)

The one on the left has this tease: The Plot Against the King. The title inside is: The Colonel and the King.

This is an excerpt from the book The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley by noted Elvis biographer Alana Nash. At 17 pages with 14 photographs, it is very interesting reading.

The other Reader’s Digest has the cover tease: Where Elvis Lives, but the six-page story covers much more than Graceland.

This is a two-fer deal, both for $5 delivered.

Elvis T-Shirts:

(Editor’s Note: This item has been sold. The other two T-shirts are still available.)

This is a spectacular T-Shirt. Most Elvis shirts just have a picture on the chest area of the front. This one has the background image from the Jailhouse Rock dance scene on every inch of the front and back. And centered on both sides is a large, very sharp photo of Elvis. It is simply the best two-sided Elvis T-shirt you will ever find. Size XL. $15 delivered. If you email me to say you want this, refer to it as the Jailhouse Rock T-shirt.

This shirt will get you comments whenever you wear it. Size XL. Just $5 delivered.

Like the first shirt, this design is no longer available from the usual sources. The photo reproduction of Elvis’ face is so well done, and it really grabs people’s attention. A perfect T-shirt to wear at Elvis Week (or anywhere). Size XL. $10 delivered. Refer to this as the Elvis face shirt if you email to claim it.

Elvis Flipbook:

(Editor’s Note: This item has been sold.)

In this age of digital images and videos, we can still enjoy a throw-back to much earlier times when flipbooks were a popular form of entertainment.

Sorry for this pathetic photo. It was tough to take a picture showing the inside when you flip through it, but I can say it does a great job of showing Elvis’ stage moves while wearing the gold coat. The flipbook is in perfect shape. How about just $4 for it?

Small Stuff:

So, here we have a 3” long Greetings from Graceland refrigerator magnet done in the familiar postcard style. Also an 2-1/2 x 2-1/2” Elvis 60th Birthday patch. And a book of Elvis matches, with none of them removed. $5 for all three.

If you want an item, send me an email at philarnold@charter.net. (Do not notify me of your interest on Comments.) As usual, first come, first served. I would prefer payment using PayPal, but checks will work, too. When I get your email, I will initiate billing on PayPal. You approve it and I send the item right out to you. With a check, it’ll take a little longer.

Thanks for your support.

Phil Arnold

© 2018 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

4 Comments

Posted in AUCTIONS / MEMORABILIA, Main Page, PRODUCTS BASED ON ELVIS

Tagged Elvis collectibles, Elvis Goodies, Elvis memorabilia

ElvisBlog Mini-Nuggets # 23

Posted on September 15, 2018 by Phil Arnold | 8 comments

Jailhouse Rock MiniFigure:

An email from ShopElvis.com came in earlier this week offering yet another Elvis figurine. The price of $9.95 sounded pretty reasonable until I read that it is just 1-1/2 inches tall.

This is the picture that’s on the ShopElvis.com order page, so it looks like the box is way bigger than it needs to be. The ad says the Minifigure is sold in stores, so you can’t blame them for using packaging that makes shoppers assume it’s much larger. Better for that impulse buying, of course. If the Jailhouse Rock Minifigure was packed in a box just big enough to hold it, I doubt many people would buy.

Another interesting thing on the order page was the statement: “Two facial expressions.” How do they do that?

Here’s the little guy blown up to see better. Compare its face to the one on the box above. They are definitely different. If anybody buys one of these Minifigures, please go on Comments and let me know how the two facial expressions are accomplished.

If I’m Going to be Attacked, I Would Rather It be by Females:

I really like this fun quote from Elvis. Surprisingly, I could not find it in ELVIS -Word for Word by Jerry Osborne, the excellent book of Elvis quotes. But Elvis did say it to Las Vegas reporter Nancy Anderson. The story is so typically Elvis, as you will read below.

Makes you kind of wish Vernon had let Elvis go – and he decked another of the jerks.

What Do You Read ElvisBlog On?:

I use a service called Google Analytics that provides all types of information about ElvisBlog – like stats that show only 64% of the readers are in the U.S. But here is one that really surprised me.

I had no idea that almost half of you read ElvisBlog on your phone.

Owning Elvis DNA:

There is no picture to show here, just a Comment that was posted by a reader named Buck.

“I have two band aids taken off his fingers during a concert in the 70’s.”

It’s reasonable to assume if Elvis wore the Band-Aids there would be some of his blood in them. If Buck ever wants to sell them, he should have a winner, because he can advertise he’s got two samples of Elvis’ DNA.

More Elvis DNA;

Another reader named Michele wrote in to tell me about her unexpected find of three Elvis items. Here is her message:

“I have a garage sale find that you might find interesting. I would like to send you photos. I don’t know if it’s real or not, but I went to a garage sale and they were selling a sealed container of early 70s vintage mailman uniforms. My husband is a mailman, so I thought it be fun for $20 to get it.

“When I got home I found a bag in one of the sleeves of the jacket. I open the bag and it contained a wisdom tooth, hair sample, and a container of liquid. Everything on it was typed with the name Elvis, Arron, Presley. There is a date on the bottle that says 3/21/60. If you’re interested I’ll gladly email you the photos so you can get a look.”

Of course, I was very interested, and Michele kindly sent me the photos.

The label on the vial says “Sample for Testing.” How intriguing is that?

Elvis’ hair has always brought high bids at auctions. According to Wikipedia, a single strand of Elvis’ hair sold for $1,700 at a Henry Aldridge & Son auction in 2009. A jar full of Elvis hair sold for $115,000 at an on-line auction by MastroNet in 2002.

One of his crowns sold for $8,150 at Omega Auctions in March 2012. I can’t imagine what a real Elvis tooth would go for.

Of course, REAL is the important question about Michele’s find. She emailed me, “I have contacted Graceland, and they put me in touch with their DNA archives office to start a process of finding out if they are real. I will keep in touch with you if you’d like to let you know how it turns out.”

If it turns out to be real, Michele has a goldmine. And who knew Graceland had a DNA archives office.

Speaking of Big Bucks for Elvis Collectibles:

A week ago I got an email from a reader named John who sent me a link to Julien’s Music Icons Auction back in May.

Here’s what the auction website had to say about the above belt:

“A heavily embellished white leather belt worn by Elvis Presley during a performance in November 1972 in Hawaii and gifted to actor and friend Jack Lord. The belt is adorned with faux turquoise, lapis lazuli, and coral, all set in gold-toned metal pieces. The buckle has a dragon-like resemblance, and three dangling brass chains are affixed to the bottom. Presley wore the belt with at least two different ensembles, including his well-known heavily jeweled “Thunderbird.”

I wonder how much this belt weighs. So, we would assume this outstanding concert belt would go for a high bid, but look at this:

WOW!!!

Let’s Deconstruct One More Photoshopped Elvis Picture:

Pairing up Elvis and Marilyn Monroe seems to be a favorite thing for Photoshop jockeys. I have almost 50 Elvis/Marilyn pictures in my files. I like the pairing of the world’s two biggest pop culture icons because the photos are fun. I felt there was no intent to trick people into believing they are real. Then I saw this one.

Somebody felt it was a smart idea to pair up eleven-year-old Elvis with a young Norma Jeane Mortenson, who later became known as Marilyn Monroe. Why? What’s the point? Anyway, here is the original photo of Elvis with twelve-year-old Mary Magdalene Morgan.

It was taken in 1946 shortly before Elvis’ family moved from Tupelo to Memphis. You will note that the original shot was flipped from left to right.

And here’s young Norma Jeane. She got flipped side-to-side, too, and other modifications were made with her arms.

I think it’s pretty crummy that people are now messing with kid pictures of Elvis. As another rankled reader, Leon’a, said in a Comment, “I don’t know how to stop it either. Maybe EPE should get involved. It should be illegal.”

What’s it Worth?

In this post, I have mentioned things five ElvisBlog readers have put in Comments. I like getting most comments, but here’s one that hit me the wrong way.

I have a large poster signed by Elvis. It reads “Best Wishes Linda Sincerely Elvis”. What is it worth?

I also have 8-track tapes of Elvis records. Are they worth anything? If so, how much?

I have a 45 record titled “Guitar Man”. What is it worth?

Here’s my reply:

Linda: I’m happy to give my time to reply to comments posted by readers of ElvisBlog. Some of these nice folks say something like “I love your blog.’ Could I ask a favor, please? Then there are others who find ElvisBlog while doing a Google search for Elvis photos, autographs, records or some other Elvis collectible they recently acquired. They always jump right to it and end with, “What is it worth? Sometimes they ask that about three different items, and never even bother to say “Thank you.” I used to answer these folks, but I’m not anymore.

However, I do have an Elvis book out titled, “BIG E and the SANTA MAN.” If you would like to purchase an autographed copy for $10 delivered, I would be happy to send it to you… and help you out with your questions.

Phil Arnold, Original ElvisBlogmeister

I probably should have just ignored this rude and thoughtless person, but I’ve seen stuff like this so many times. I can always tell they aren’t regular readers. You guys are polite.

Elvis’ 1955 Income Taxes:

This may be too small for you to read, but Elvis’ gross income in 1955 was $25,414, and he paid $7,383 in taxes. Adjusted for inflation, that equates to an income of $237,244 today. Not bad for a twenty-year-old, but it was chump change compared to what he made in 1956 when he hit the big time with records recorded at RCA, appeared on TV, and made movies.

My thanks to all you readers who posted things that I could use in this article. Keep them coming.

© 2018 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

8 Comments

Posted in AUCTIONS / MEMORABILIA, ELVIS and OTHER STARS, HISTORY, Main Page, PRODUCTS BASED ON ELVIS

Tagged Elvis Clothing, Elvis DNA, Elvis Figurines, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe, Elvis presley income

Elvis Goodies rom the Fuzzy Room – Part 4

Posted on September 2, 2018 by Phil Arnold | 1 comment

You readers really came through the last time I did this. In two days, everything was sold. Thanks for helping me find new homes for the Elvis stuff I’ve collected for decades and displayed in my Fuzzy Room.

Please Note: The prices are for delivery to USA destinations only. Postal rates to other countries are just prohibitive and way too much hassle. Sorry.

Elvis Refrigerator Magnet Set:

Editor’s Note: This item has been sold.

Elvis treasures are nice to own, but they mostly just sit around and look pretty. This one has a bonus because you can play with it. I’ve had a lot of fun messing around this magnet set for a couple of decades.

It starts with a 7 inch tall Elvis wearing the swim trunks from Blue Hawaii. Then, you get to be his wardrobe manager. And look at all the fine stuff you get to put on him.

The “68 Special black leather is one of my favorites. The jacket is so baaad and the pants are the best ones in the set.

The Flame Jumpsuit from 1976 always looks good. I’m just glad to see something other than the Aloha American Eagle suit getting featured. It’s on so many different Elvis products.

It’s hard to beat the Hawaiian shirt and lei. The sunglasses could go on any of the outfits, of course, but this is the only place I use them.

Here’s an Elvis image you’ve never seen before – wearing the Karate Gi without the pants. You lady readers are welcome to download a copy of this photo.

I like to mix up the combinations of shirt and pants. Elvis looks just fine wearing the Karate Gi pants with the Jailhouse Rock jacket.

I thought it would be interesting to pair up the gold coat with the Jailhouse Rock blue jeans. Elvis is such a fashion icon, he can successfully make elegant and simple work together

My least favorites are the Army Uniform. Elvis just looks too dull in them. I put them in a box that might as well be marked Rejects, because I don’t use them. Someone else may feel differently.

They are joined in reject box by the pants of the Gold Lame Suit. I like the coat, but the pants are too baggy, so they too ended up in there, too. You know, it’s feels weird to use the word reject in connection with anything Elvis.

One time when my brother visited, we did a lot of drinking and were feeling no pain. I gave him the complete show of all the different Elvises I could create with my magnet set. I also told him about the Army uniform and the gold pants being in the reject box because I didn’t care about them.

That was all my brother needed to hear. Later, when I went to use the bathroom, he hurried back to the refrigerator. Using our kitchen scissors he cut off about a third of the gold pants, and then placed them on Elvis. Then he added the wide jumpsuit belt that comes in the set. He completed the ensemble with the tall Army boots.

I came into the kitchen, and actually did one of those head fakes as I walked by the refrigerator. I cussed out my brother and then we broke into laughter. Good brother bonding time. Sorry, Elvis.

He came up with a name that’s bad, but I after all these years I still remember it – Jethro Elvis.

I must admit I don’t use the shoes very often. Maybe the blue suede shoes with the blue jeans just for variety. They won’t work with anything else, except the black the black leather pants. One of the black leather shoes is missing, and the other is in the reject box.

The teddy bear, guitar, and hound dog just hang around near Elvis in his prized spot on the refrigerator.

What do you think this is? It’s supposed to be Elvis’ hair, jumpsuit era, I would guess. It is the stupidest thing you ever saw. The Elvis face is this set has great hair.

I can’t believe anyone would want to ruin it like this.

Guess where I keep the ugly hair?

I’ve had this Elvis name magnet positioned above him most of the time, but sometimes I like a new look and it goes underneath.

I apologize to anyone offended by the Jethro Elvis picture or the idea that anything Elvis could end up in a reject box.

So, would you like an Elvis goodie that you can interact with… as frequently as you please? This magnet set is it. Whoever buys it will be rewarded with a lot of fun. Is there room on your refrigerator for something really cool?

The price on this set is $20 delivered. If you want it, send me an email at philarnold@charter.net. (Do not notify me of your interest on Comments.) As usual, first come, first served. I would prefer payment by PayPal, but checks work, too

I will send a PayPal invoice to whoever responds first. You approve it, and I send the package. Shipment with check payment will take a little longer.

Thanks for your support.

Phil Arnold

© 2018 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

1 Comment

Posted in AUCTIONS / MEMORABILIA, Main Page, PRODUCTS BASED ON ELVIS, THE MOST UNUSUAL ELVIS ARTICLES ON THE WEB

Tagged Elvis collectibles, Elvis magnets, Elvis memorabilia

Graceland Promotes Christmas in July Again

Posted on July 20, 2018 by Phil Arnold | 1 comment

I did an article back in 2010 about Graceland’s 12 Days of Christmas in July promotion. They offered two Elvis items each day. I praised the items I liked, and here’s one of my favorites

Clean and simple – just the SUN Records logo and young Elvis.

But I wasn’t shy about knocking the items I hated.

This is one of the lamest T-shirt designs I have ever seen. Usually they put Elvis’ name in letters or signature on the T-shirts, but I’m glad they didn’t on this one.

This is anything but clean and simple. It’s got six different things on it: Elvis, Welcome to Las Vegas, and Dale Earnhardt’s picture, signature, and his number 3. I think the blur on the left side of the bill is Elvis’ signature. Too much.

This is my all-time least favorite Elvis product foisted on his adoring fans. It would be hard to design a more stupid-looking lamp than this one.

I really haven’t been keeping track of whether Graceland has been doing Christmas in July promotions in any of the years since 2010, but when I scrolled through the offers this year, a couple of things caught my eye.

First, Christmas tree ornaments. There are several dozen different designs offered, but these two are the best of the bunch. They are five inches tall and made of shatter resistant plastic. They are called the Blue Peacock Drop Ornament and Red Drop Ornament, respectively. There is also a Gold Lamé one, but that image is so overused. All three options are $6.99.

Second, Christmas wrapping paper. Maybe this has been available before, but it is new to me. I think they came up with a great idea. Here are the six designs with brief comments.

This design is called Groovy Tree. If you look real close, you can see the repetition of pyramids that sort-of look like Christmas trees. Some of the other selections don’t have any connection with Christmas, but they are still pretty cool.

Here we have Elvis Profile Signature. This design could be used to wrap presents for birthday, anniversary, baby shower, etc., so it probably ought to be offered year-round.

This is Graceland Metallic wrapping paper. Maybe those are snowflakes mixed with musical notes in the design, so there is a tenuous connection to Christmas. I wonder if the actual paper has the same blurred spot in the middle of the Graceland logo and name.

This is the second one with an Elvis silhouette in the design. Also a similar name – Groovy Wave.

Bet you can figure out what they named this one – I Love Elvis.

And finally, a third Elvis silhouette design, cleverly titled Silhouette Snow. I like Elvis framed by large snowflakes. There’s green and red in the design, so this works best for me as a Christmas wrapping paper.

Each roll is 30 inches wide and nine feet long. The price is $6.99, but as it says in the blog’s first picture, there is 20% off, which brings it down to $5.59. NOTE: The sale ends Sunday July 22. That is this coming Sunday, so get moving if you like any of these.

These wide rolls cost more in postage if you buy just one – $6.89 to my zip code. An order of two or three rolls has the same postage of $7.18. The best deal is to buy four or five. The $8.22 postage isn’t too bad spread over several rolls.

Graceland covered all the bases by also offering two designs of Elvis tissue paper.

The sheets are 20” by 26”, and you get three sheets of each for $5.99, or $4.80 with the discount. Up to four packs ship for $6.89 postage.

There are also three designs of gift bags available for $4.99 each, or $4.00 with discount. They are in the TCB design above, and the Graceland Metallic design, plus one with Elvis wearing the turtle-neck sweater from the pool scene in Jailhouse Rock.

So, you can tell I’m pleased overall with Graceland’s Christmas In July promotion. The only things I’m not crazy about are the eleven Graceland ornaments, most of which don’t even mention Elvis. Like this 4½” L x 3″ H x 2¾” D hand-crafted glass ornament that costs $48.00.

Not for me. I’d break it for sure. The shatter resistant plastic Blue Peacock Drop Ornament will suit me just fine.

.

© 2018 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

1 Comment

Posted in IMAGES, Main Page, PRODUCTS BASED ON ELVIS

Tagged Elvis Christmas Gift Bags, Elvis Christmas in July, Elvis Christmas Ornaments, Elvis Christmas Tissue Paper, Elvis Christmas Wrapping Paper

Elvis T-Shirt Review — Summer 2018

Posted on July 1, 2018 by Phil Arnold | 6 comments

Tailor-made Elvis T-Shirts

It’s the weekend before the 4th of July, time to do my ninth annual review of Elvis T-shirts. Before we get into the latest designs from ShopGraceland.com, I just want to point out the above photo and say that someone has come up with a great idea for a custom-made Elvis T-shirt. These women are wearing shirts that show themselves hugging Elvis and about to be kissed. How cool is that! Does anybody know if this is something done at Elvis Presley’s Memphis at Graceland or maybe at an Elvis convention? Please let me know on Comments and I’ll share with everybody. Now for the review.

68 Comeback Joe Petruccio:

JOE PETRUCCIO 68 STANDUP Elvis T-shirt

Hopefully you all are familiar with Joe Pertruccio’s fabulous Elvis artwork. I have featured T-shirts with his Elvis drawings on them before, and praised them highly. I also like black T-shirts. From a distance, it’s probably hard for someone to get what’s going on with this shirt. You have to move up closer and focus on the image to see it’s Elvis in his famous black leather outfit playing guitar. It doesn’t even need to have his name on it. Very subtle, and yet, probably the edgiest Elvis T-shirt ever made. $30

Guitarman Joe Petruccio:

JOE PETRUCCIO GUITARMAN ELVIS T-SHIRT

Now that I have praised Joe Petruccio, let’s talk about one of his miss-fires. Even close-up you might need a while to figure what this design is all about. Let’s blow it up and look for anything Elvis in it.

JOE PETRUCCIO GUITARMAN T-SHIRT Blow-up

Did you find the name Elvis Presley spelled out vertically in the guitar’s neck? I wish it had been left off this one, too. As subtle as the first one was, this one is over-kill — just too much stuff. It’s almost psychedelic, not the type of thing most Elvis fans are looking for. $30

Just Pretend Joe Petruccio Raglan:

JOE PETRUCCIO JUST PRETEND RAGLAN Elvis T-shirt

I feel kind of guilty for knocking any Joe Petruccio design, so I’ll try to make up for that by praising this one. I love the simplicity, and it’s so effective it also doesn’t need Elvis’ name on it. The raglan cut is a nice variation, too. It costs $30, but I’d pay more to have the image on the back of the shirt and something like this on the front.

Elvis Presley in Sundial Jumpsuit.

Elvis Presley Made America Great:

ELVIS PRESLEY MADE AMERICA GREAT 24.99

Okay, that’s enough on the shirts with Joe Petruccio designs. Here’s a good one for the 4th of July. I like Elvis Presley done in red, white and blue, but I can’t keep from picking at it a bit. They should have made the capital P for Presley all blue with white stars. It looks more like a D the way it is.

ELVIS PRESLEY MADE AMERICA GREAT Silhouette Blow-up

And the little Elvis silhouette distracts from the clarity of both words.

I do like the theme Elvis Made America Great, but I hope no wingnut finds it offensive because it’s derived from another phrase that disturbs them. I sure wouldn’t want an Elvis fan hassled at a restaurant because they were wearing this shirt. $25

Elvis Shades TCB Collage:

ELVIS SHADES COLLAGE TCB T-shirt

There have been lots of TCB T-shirts and lot of shirts with Elvis wearing his signature sunglasses. Now we have one with both. I especially like the bright sunburst radiating out from behind the TCB. It enhances both photos. The website says.” Take Care of Business in this hip 70’s collage Elvis T-shirt.” $25

68 Special Rhinestone Woman’s:

ELVIS PRESLEY 68 SPECIAL RHINESTONE WOMEN'S T-SHIRT

This woman’s T-shirt appeals to me for its simplicity. The image looks a little different because it is done by a process the website calls, “a tonal dark rhinestone graphic of Elvis.” I don’t know what that means, but it’s not real rhinestones as have been featured on other shirts over the years. They cost big bucks, but this one can be yours for $60.

Ambition is a Dream with a V8 Engine:

ELVIS PRESLEY AMBITION IS A DREAM WITH A V8 ENGINE RAGLAN

This is a good concept that started well but finished poorly. The overlapping V and red-colored 8 draw the eye to the wrong thing. Elvis’ picture is the only thing that should be prominent in the center. Then the bottom text could read, “with a V8 Engine.” Much more balanced and easier to read. Raglan style shirts seem to be very popular these days, and the black sleeves on a white shirt is a nice touch. $30

Graceland Microphone Raglan:

GRACELAND MICROPHONE RAGLAN T-shirt

This is my least favorite. I have fussed before about T-shirts that say Graceland with no mention of Elvis. I am an Elvis fan, not a Graceland fan. But somebody must like Graceland shirts, because they keep coming up with new designs. This shirt really bugs me because it says Graceland: Home to Rock ‘n’ Roll. Why not “Home of Elvis Presley”? $30

I feel like this review has not presented enough designs I like, so here are a few from a source you might not think of: AllPosters.com.

Elvis – Peacock:

allposters.com Peacock Jumpsuit Design Elvis T-shirt

I like it when they come up with Elvis designs that are new and different. Using elements from Elvis’ fabulous Peacock jumpsuit is a great idea. And Elvis’ blue face is kind of interesting, too. Only $20. AllPosters.com has lots of Elvis T-shirts priced at $18 and $20.

Circle G Ranch:

allposters.com Circle G Ranch Elvis T-shirt

They don’t get much more original than this. I wonder if the folks who are campaigning for Elvis’ Circle G Ranch to be preserved and open to the public are aware that this shirt exists. $24

Elvis Presley – Long Live the King:

Allposters.com Long Live the King Elvis T-shirt

This is a wonderful woman’s T-shirt. I wish they had it in men’s. A great profile picture of Elvis with strong gold text saying. “Long Live the King.” What more do you need? And just $20.

I hope you enjoyed ElvisBlog’s 2018 Elvis T-shirt review. You can read the previous eight reviews by typing T-Shirt Review in the search box.

As I did my research for this post, I noticed there are a great many products celebrating the 50th anniversary of Elvis’ ’68 Comeback Special. Some are great, some not so much. I’ll probably do a review of them sometime soon.

Have a cool 4th of July

ElvisBlog Logo

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

6 Comments

Posted in COOL STUFF OUT THERE IN ELVISWORLD, Main Page, PRODUCTS BASED ON ELVIS, THE MOST UNUSUAL ELVIS ARTICLES ON THE WEB

Tagged Elvis T-Shirts

More Elvis Goodies from the Fuzzy Room

Posted on June 23, 2018 by Phil Arnold | 5 comments

When I offered a few Elvis items for sale four weeks ago, I had no idea whether it would work or not. Actually, it worked out very well, with most items getting spoken for within hours after posting the sale.

For those of you who missed it, the Jungle Tree Fuzzy Room is where all my Elvis stuff is lovingly displayed (or at least stored). But I am facing a scaling-down to a smaller home, and there won’t be any space for all my Elvis mementos. So, I am offering them to you ElvisBlog readers for really good prices.

Please keep in mind that these prices are for shipment to U.S. destinations only. Postage to other countries is so high that it makes the costs prohibitive. I wish I could negotiate special rates like Amazon has done, but that’s a pipe dream.

Elvis Presley Doll – “The Sun Never Sets on a Legend”

Editor’s note: This item has been sold.

This is a 12” Elvis doll with 15” tall packaging that looks like a showcase. It has decorative musical notes as a backdrop, as well as a unique design and shape – the plastic window front side is curved, which allows for more of the doll and interior contents be viewed while on display. Elvis is on a stand that resembles a stage platform on top of which he is performing.

This is one of a 1993 three-part Hasbro “Elvis Presley – The Sun Never Sets on a Legend” commemorative collection. There is great attention to detail – from Elvis’ red jacket, black pants, and white shoes, to the beautifully detailed guitar. Even the black plastic top and bottom insert sections of the box contain Elvis’ facsimile autograph.

Elvis Presley - The Sun Never Sets on a Legend - Back

Back of the packaging

I have never opened it up to see the numbered Certificate of Authenticity, so I guess I can say it is in mint condition. However, it was frustrating not to be able to see (or play) the bonus 45rpm record inside of Elvis singing “Jailhouse Rock.”

I checked out eBay to see what this was going for. The lowest I found was this one for $38 delivered. The two lower prices above were for used ones, and the cheapest also had $13 postage. So, I will make this a bargain by pricing it at $28 delivered.

If you want this “Jailhouse Rock” doll, please send me an email at philarnold@charter.net, and I will reserve it for you and add a note to this post that it is sold.

Deck of Elvis Playing Cards with 54 Alfred Wertheimer Photos:

Editor’s note: This item has been sold.

There are some other Elvis playing cards out there, but this deck with a different Al Wertheimer photo on each card is the most desirable to me. I’ve opened the box up twice to look at the pictures, so the cards are in perfect shape.

Elvis Playing Cards Alfred Wertheimer - back

Back of deck box

I found a few of these Elvis card decks listed on eBay with delivered prices ranging from $8-11. I can do $7 delivered, but I’m afraid the postage that I cover will eat up a good chunk of that. I did a crummy job of estimating what the postage would be on that first round of goodies, and these cards are heavy.

Wackel-Elvis Hanging Figure:

You may ask (as I did) what is a Wankel-Elvis? Here is a pretty interesting story from Wikipedia:

Wackel-Elvis (German pronunciation: vakəlˈɛlvɪs, “Wobbly Elvis”) is a 6 inches tall, hanging dashboard figure designed to resemble Elvis Presley. A prototype of the figure was first introduced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi in a series of television commercials which were broadcast in several European countries. The commercials were produced in 2001 to promote Audi’s new continuously variable “multitronic” transmission. Due to a high demand by Elvis fans after publication of the commercials, 15,000 Wackel-Elvis figures were produced and sold at the Audi factory outlet store.

The Wackel-Elvis figure is suspended from an elastic band connected to a suction cup attached to the windshield or rear window of a vehicle. The waist and left shoulder of the figure are equipped with flexible metal spring joints. The design prompts the figure to swing its hips, pivot around its vertical axis and shake its left arm up and down while the vehicle is in motion, creating an effect that resembles Elvis Presley performing on stage.

Some clever fan had a Wankel-Elvis hanging from their dashboard when they took this photo with the Graceland wall in the background.

The best price I found for this (still in the box) was $24.99 plus $5.02 postage. So I think it’s a pretty good deal at $17 postage included.

Editor’s note: This item has been sold. The white jumpsuit model is still available.

If you don’t care about the box because you would want to hang Elvis in your car, anyway, here’s a deal for you. This alternate design can be yours for $10. When you send me an email at philarnold@charter.net be clear about which Wankel-Elvis you want.

Bubba Ho-Tep Limited Edition DVD:

Editor’s note: This item has been sold.

If you are a bit unclear on what Bubba Ho-Tep is all about, take a minute and read this article I posted on ElvisBlog in 2008. Or perhaps the original video cover will jog your memory.

Here is a synopsis of the story from Amazon.com:

Mud Creek, Texas, is about to get all shook up. When mysterious deaths plague the Shady Rest retirement home, it’s up to an aging, cantankerous “Elvis” (Bruce Campbell) and a decrepit and black “JFK” (Ossie Davis) to defeat a 3,000-year-old-Egyptian mummy with a penchant for sucking human souls! Can the King show the world that he can still take care of business?

Don Coscarelli directs and Bruce Campbell stars as the King of Camp in this intentionally over-the-top schlockfest. Bubba Ho-Tep is partially about Elvis Presley and partially about the title character, an Egyptian cowboy zombie, but mostly it is about camp. The movie is equal parts story and back story. We learn through narration and flashback how Elvis didn’t really die, ending up instead in a rest home in East Texas with JFK who says he was dyed black and had his brain removed, presumably for reasons of national security.

Campbell and Davis realize that something strange is going on when their rest-home compatriots start dropping off suspiciously. The whole movie leads up to a final showdown to the death with the Egyptian cowboy zombie who has been killing fellow residents because he thought no one would notice. The movie unfolds a bit slowly; it is, after all, a geriatrics-fight-Egyptian-cowboy-zombie movie. In the end, though, Campbell is flawless as the aged King; his accent, intonations, glasses, and trademark karate are at the same time sincere and over the top.

Ok, so this is nifty movie, and it has some interesting history according to Wikipedia:

Originally the film was “roadshowed” by the director across the country. Only 32 prints were made and he circulated them around various film festivals, and garnered critical success. By the time it was released on DVD, it had already achieved cult status due to positive reviews, lack of access, and similar on-the-road hard work by Campbell. While the film revolves around an ancient Egyptian mummy terrorizing a retirement home, Bubba Ho-Tep also deals with the deeper theme of aging and growing old in a culture that values only the young.

You might be wondering what’s with the jumpsuit looking thing wrapped around the DVD case.

It’s a nicely done mini-jumpsuit shirt that is one of many special features offered in this “Limited Edition. The others include:

Audio Commentary by director Don Coscarelli and star Bruce Campbell
Audio commentary by “The King”
Joe R. Lansdale reads from Bubba Ho-Tep
Deleted scenes with commentary by Don Coscarelli and Bruce Campbell
The making of Bubba Ho-Tep
Fit For a King – Elvis Costume Featurette
Rock Like an Egyptian – The music of Bubba Ho-Tep
Music video
Photo Gallery
Original theatrical trailer

I also searched for this item on the internet to see what other folks are selling it for. The cheapest I found was $24.92 plus freight. I think you will be very happy if you snap up this Limited Edition Bubba Ho-Tep for $20 delivered.

Elvis Salt and Pepper Shakers:

Editor’s note: This item has sold. They must be really rare, because several folks have wanted to buy them.

This is a very cool set. The color of both shakers is actually the same; there was light coming from a window on the left side that makes them look different.

They feature a very popular silhouette of 50s Elvis shaking his hips at the mic, and I think this is the best usage of it I have seen.

I looked all over the internet to find what other folks are asking for this set. I could not find even one posted for sale, so I guess it is pretty rare. It can be yours for $15, postage included.

Elvis “All Shook Up” Sugar Shaker:

Editor’s note: This item Has been sold.

Here’s another 50s Elvis image put to good use. Doesn’t this remind you of the sugar shakers they had in the diners back when you were a teenager? This thing is pretty heavy, so the delivered price for it is $9.

Last time, some folks replied in Comments that they wished to purchase an item. It really works better if you just email me at philarnold@charter.net. I check email much more frequently than Comments, so I can mark an item as sold right after I hear from you.

In your email, indicate whether you wish to use your PayPal account or a personal check to pay. I don’t yet have a PayPal button that businesses use, just a personal account like you do.

Sample only

So, when I reply to your email and confirm your purchase, I will initiate a PayPal invoice. You get an email notification that you confirm, and the money is transferred.

So, please go back and look over the items and see if there’s anything you would like to have.

I really appreciate your support,

Phil Arnold

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

5 Comments

Posted in AUCTIONS / MEMORABILIA, Main Page, MOVIES, PRODUCTS BASED ON ELVIS

Tagged Bubba Ho-Tep, Elvis collectibles, Elvis memorabilia, Wankel-Elvis. Elvis-The Sum Never Sets on a Legend

When an Old Fan Has to Say Goodbye to His Collection of Elvis Goodies

Posted on May 26, 2018 by Phil Arnold | 9 comments

Unfortunately, I’m old, and it’s time to scale down. When we move, there will be no space to put all the Elvis stuff I have now in what I call my Jungle Tree Fuzzy Room. (Or the junk room as my wife calls it. She has a point — over the years a lot of other stuff has ended up in there, too.)

Every once in a while, I will post pictures of some of my mementos. I don’t have anything you would call a big collectible, but I know somebody out there will want every one of these goodies. There will be cheap prices to make them go quickly.

Unfortunately, this offer must be limited to readers in the USA only. Postal rates to other countries are just prohibitive. Sorry

So, here are the first offerings from the Fuzzy Room:

Author’s note: All items have been sold.

Early Elvis T-Shirts:

Author’s note: This item has sold.

I have owned these for 30 years, and they go way back beyond that. The first two say M on the label, but they look like they would work best for a woman or an adolescent child. Wear them yourself or maybe you could start a little early Elvis indoctrination with a grandchild. It’s never too young or too old to be an Elvis fan.

This one has the word ELVIS in a lighted marque design on a dark blue background. Sorry about the wrinkles, but these shirts have been folded up in storage for a while.

Super colorful shirt with Elvis’ image and his name in gold block letters. This is my favorite of the three.

This shirt has no size label, but it’s a bit smaller than the other two, so let’s call it size S. Bright blue background with white flock lettering. It was probably a homemade iron-on.

You can have all three T-shirts for $15, which includes postage. At the end of this post, we’ll look at payment options.

Elvis License Plate:

Author’s Note: This items has been sold.

I bought this in Las Vegas about 15 years ago, and it has been part of the wall art in the Fuzzy Room ever since. The price to you is only $6, and that includes the postage. An excellent deal.

Elvis ’56 — book by Al Wertheimer:

.

Author’s note: This book has sold.

Author’s note #2: I see I never posted a picture of the book, so here it is.

This book was a huge seller back in 1979 when Al Wertheimer published it. Perhaps you do not know the story of how he took over 3,000 photos of Elvis in 1956. If not, click here to read the article I wrote about him in 2006 for Elvis the Magazine.

Anyway, all those photos sat unused in Al’s files for over twenty years. When Elvis died, Al discovered he had a treasure trove of material and published Elvis ’56 – In the Beginning.

Books autographed by the author are always special, but the copy I am offering has been inscribed and signed by Al Wertheimer twice. I bought the book from a vendor at Elvis Week a few years before I got the chance to interview Al and write about him. Inside the front cover, Al had written a short thank you note to Irving Paul and signed and dated it November 22, 1979.

Then, after I got to know Al, I sent him the book and asked him to inscribe a message to me. This is what he wrote:

To Phil Arnold:

Who is Irving Paul? I don’t remember. I’m glad though that my book wound up in your hands. It’s been out of print for some time and will become rarer as the years go by. Thanks for your interest in the “Wertheimer Collection” of Elvis photos I took in 1956. Glad to have such a good writer as a fan.

Be well,

Al Wertheimer 11/11/07

Perhaps you are wondering why I would let go of something as special as this. The reason is because Al sent me another copy of Elvis ’56 with an entirely different inscription. It’s long, so I won’t repeat it all. But he did call me, “a very talented writer and Elvis Blogster who did such a fine job of telling my story in Elvis the Magazine.” He also said, “Let’s stay in touch,” and we did. If you look at the right column of this page under Blog Categories, Al Wertheimer is represented 15 times.

So, I am asking $15 for the double-inscribed and signed copy of Elvis ’56, and a good bit of that will go for the shipping and postage because this is a heavy book.

Elvis Teddy Bear Wearing Gold Lame Suit and Holding Guitar:

Author’s Note: This item has been sold.

There is one of these on eBay right now going for $24.94 plus $9.30 shipping. I’m letting it go for $12 total. Here is the picture from eBay showing the back that says, The King of Rock and Roll.

And the one I’m selling also has the replica of the 29 cent Elvis stamp shown above.

Elvis 25th Anniversary Documentary:

Author’s Note: This item has been sold.

If you still have a working VHS tape player, you will find this different and enjoyable. Back in 2002, the 25th anniversary Elvis Week was a huge celebration. As the back cover says,

This Elvis documentary takes a look at the Elvis Fans, Elvis Music, Elvis Friends, and Elvis Events that took place during this incredible Tribute Week.

More than 50,000 fans showed up on the 25th Anniversary, and Greg Summit from Westlake Entertainment was there to follow the fans around Memphis to catch the excitement on film. Mr. Summit filmed the fans, the Tribute Artists, the friends of Elvis, and the events throughout the week.

It gives those who were unable to be there, a chance to see the excitement of the 25th Anniversary Tribute Week. For those who were there, it will certainly bring back the wonderful memories.

I was there, and I’m glad I have another copy of this video to relive that big party.

The price is just $6, and that includes shipping costs.

Elvis Necktie:

Author’s Note: This item has been sold.

At my age, I won’t be wearing a tie like this anymore, but it was fun to wear to Elvis gatherings over the years. It’s got Elvis singing into a mic, two pink Cadillacs, drums, sax, guitar and records. Just $5.

There are two ways you can purchase any of these items – PayPal or personal check. I don’t yet have a PayPal button that you are probably used to.

Sample Only

This button is available if you have a business PayPal account, but I have a personal one like you probably do, too. I will be upgrading soon, because it will aid in sales of my book BIG E and the SANTA MAN when the next annual campaign starts next October.

In the meantime, here’s how to use PayPal.

1) Open up your account page on PayPal.com and click on Pay or Send Money.

2) Click on Pay for goods.

3) A box pops up where you enter my email address: philarnold@charter.net. Click Next.

Enter the price of the item. And the item description where it says Add a note. Then scroll down and click Continue.

You will go to the order summary page you are familiar with, and if everything is right, click Send Payment Now. It’s actually pretty easy.

PayPal sends me a notice of the sale, and I mark it sold on the blog. Then I mail it to you.

Or you can send me an email that you want to purchase an item by check. I’ll confirm and hold it for you until I get your check.

So, please go back and look over the items and see if there’s anything you would like to have.

I really appreciate your support,

Phil Arnold

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

9 Comments

Posted in AL WERTHEIMER, Archive of Articles in ELVIS INTERNATIONAL Magazine, Main Page, PRODUCTS BASED ON ELVIS

Tagged Al Wertheimer, Elvis T-Shirts, Elvis the Magazine