By definition the last ever documentation of the life of Elvis Presley – the EKG strip recording the King’s final moments – is up for auction, along with a collection of other rare Elvis memorabilia.
Elvis Presley was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. on Aug.16, 1977 at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee in 1977, after being found unresponsive on the floor of his bathroom at his home, Graceland.
Medical technician James McQueen saved the EKG strip showing the flatline result, along with other medical equipment, and it’s now being auctioned by A-OK Auction Gallery on April 6th 2019, along with other Elvis memorabilia, and other items from the collection of Matthew Elvis Dollar.
Dollar bills
Dollar, an Elvis impersonator (he liked to be called a ‘tribute artist’) who legally added Elvis to his name, was also a noted collector of Presley memorabilia and a regular TV performer. He met Elvis at age 6, and has appeared with his tribute act all over the world.
The A-OK auction features clothing, furniture and even carpets related to Presley, as well as a large unrelated collection of guns, furniture and Americana.
A-OK owner and auctioneer Alan Shope says the EKG strip is without a doubt the most unusual item he has sold, with the possible exception of the recipe for Dr. Pepper in 2015. “It is something I never even thought about selling,” he said. “Some people may think the EKG strip is morbid, but others will find it fascinating”. Shope said Dollar is “an extremely interesting individual. Elvis is his passion.”
Among the Elvis-related items in the auction are a yellow Mid-Century Modern armchair from the private suite at the Holiday Inn on Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, Tennessee. Elvis stayed at that Holiday Inn from March 17-19, 1976, and reportedly fired a gun at the television set in the room. The chair has a metal plaque that reads “Chair from Elvis Presley’s private suite Holiday Inn Bristol, Tenn.” A certificate of authenticity signed by Dollar accompanies the chair. It reads in part that Dollar got the chair from hotel owner Jack Trayer.
Jumpsuits
Also on offer are replica stage costumes including jumpsuits, and a piece of green shag carpet measuring 6 feet by 47 inches from Graceland, said to have been removed when some of the carpet at Graceland was replaced in 1982. Shope says has no idea how much these unusual items will bring.
The auction will take place at the A-OK Auction Gallery in Abingdon, Virginia on April 6, 2019 11:00 AM EST, and will be available for online bidding here. Shope is encouraging bidders to keep checking the online information, as additional Elvis Presley items may be added at a late stage.
See also:
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