On November 15, we lost another charter member of Elvis’ close circle of friends – Bernard Lansky. All knowledgeable fans know that Elvis bought much of his 50s wardrobe from Lansky Brothers Clothing on Beale Street. Most of the clothing was flashy and unconventional, perfect for a young singer making his mark.
Other Elvis websites have recounted details of the connection between Bernard Lansky and Elvis, so I wanted to do something different. Let’s take a look at some of the clothing Elvis bought at Lansky Brothers and that has sold at auctions presented by Heritage Auctions and Gotta-Have-It Auctions the past few years.
“Super Fly” Style Leather Trench Coat Trimmed in Coyote Fur:
Sold for $4,608 at the Gotta-Have-It Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in July 2012.
Elvis took to wearing this type of coat after viewing the cult film, “Shaft.”
Light Blue Shirt and Dark Blue Corduroy Vest:
Sold for $5,156 at the Heritage Elvis Memorabilia Signature Auction in Memphis on August 14, 2012.
Black Velvet Shirt with Silver-and-Onyx Buttons:
Sold for $2,270 at the Heritage Signature Entertainment/Music Memorabilia Auction in April 2007.
Note the initials “EP” monogrammed on the cuffs.
Shirt, Pants and Jacket Combo:
Sold for $25,725 at the Gotta-Have-It Rock & Roll Auction in July 2011
This picture of Elvis wearing the outfit is on the back of his first RCA album, Elvis Presley.
Brown Suede Jacket with Tie Belt:
Sold for $4,182 at the Heritage Signature Music & Entertainment Memorabilia Auction in October 2008.
Black Short Sleeved Shirt:
Sold for $4,719 at the Gotta-Have-It Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in December 2011.
Light Brown Leather Jacket with Coyote Trim:
Sold for $3,808 at the Gotta-Have-It Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in March 2011.
Tan Suede Jacket:
Sold for $16,500 at the Gotta-Have-it Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in October 2010.
Elvis Presley wore this jacket in the famous December 4, 1956 photo of the “Million Dollar Quartet.”
Long Grey Trench Coat:
Sold for $6,283 at the Gotta-Have-It Rock & Roll Pop Art Auction in August 2009
Also sold for $12,187 at the Heritage Elvis Memorabilia Signature Auction in August 2012 in Memphis
Pink Shirt with Black Trim:
Sold for at the $2,662 at the Gotta-have-It Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in October 2010.
Also sold for $14,340 at the Heritage Music & Entertainment Signature Auction In December 2011.
Amazingly, Vernon Presley donated the shirt to the Salvation Army in 1974.
Pink Shirt, Black Pants with Pink Accents, and Black and White Shoes:
Sold for $4,000 at the Gotta-Have-it Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction in October 2010.
Also sold for $19,717 at the Heritage Music & Entertainment Signature Auction in December 2011.
(Seems like if you have some cool Elvis clothes to sell, Heritage Auctions is the place to go. On the other hand, if you’d like to buy some Elvis clothes at reasonable prices, check out Gotta-Have-It)
Custom Made Blue Leather Coat:
Currently at auction at the Heritage Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction.
Estimate: $5000 – $7000. My bet is that it goes for lots more.
We’ll end with some more photos of Elvis and Bernard Lansky.
Hey, that’s not Elvis!
© 2012 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net
