The King of Rock and Roll, rather fittingly, liked to travel in style. Elvis Aaron Presley picked up two private jets during his tenure as one of the hottest cultural icons of the 20th century, and they’re now being made available at auction.
Beverly Hills-based Julien’s Auctions recently announced that Presley’s “Lisa Marie” and “Hound Dog II” will be sold via an exclusive sealed bid auction after being on display at Graceland for the past thirty years.
Elvis acquired his Convair 880 Jet from Delta Airlines in 1975, paying US $250,000 - including substantial refurbishments. He named the aircraft “Lisa Marie” after his only daughter.
The jet was customised to include cosy sleeping quarters, a penthouse bedroom with a queen size bed, a bathroom with golden taps and basin, as well as a conference room. The plane’s tail section still vaunts Elvis’ motto “TCB”, which stands for “Taking Care of Business.”
While the crooner used the plane extensively, its last journey was from California to his funeral in Graceland in 1977, transporting his divorced wife Priscilla Presley and close friend George Hamilton. It was almost eight years later, after being bought and sold twice, that “Lisa Marie” became a permanent fixture at the Memphis estate.
The current operators of Graceland announced they would not renew an active agreement to host the plane, which is due to expire at the April, 2015 – during which time the auction will take place.
The Hound Dog II is a Lockheed JetStar that Elvis also purchased in 1975 while waiting for Lisa Marie to complete its refurb. He paid what was then an astronomical sum of $900,000 for the second jet.
Unfortunately neither of the aircraft are functional and are for display only. Hopefully there's at least one superfan with enough space to display the aircraft.
Lisa Marie specs:
Hound Dog II specs:
The planes have been offered exclusively through the sealed bid auction since January 2. The sealed bid auction gives bidders simultaneous opportunities to submit sealed bids to the auction house until February 2. No bidder will know how much the other auction participants have bid, and the successful bidder will be declared on or before thirty days after the close of bidding. For more information about the auction, email info@juliensauctions.com.
New iPad technology benefits Graceland pilgrims
Despite relinquishing the pair of planes, Graceland recently got digital and revolutionised the visitor experience with an interactive iPad tour.
The historic home was given a touch of the 21st century thanks to a tour narrated by actor and Elvis fan, John Stamos. The app debuted during Elvis Week 2014 in August and is one of the first major US attractions to provide an iPad to every guest.
Visitors can “like” and save content, which can then be accessed and viewed again at the end of the tour. They also have the option to email a selection of their favourite images. The app-based tour uses iBeacon technology as a navigational aid, which will trigger additional content including videos and trivia.
"When I walk into Graceland, I feel Elvis' vibe,” said Stamos. “Whether you are a longtime fan or a five-year old, you experience a real personal connection to the King. It's an incredible honour for me to be the voice of the new iPad tour at Graceland. It's no secret that I'm a huge Elvis fan, so to be the host and guide for the hundreds of thousands of visitors who tour this incredible home every year... it doesn't get better than that."
