Elvis Presley guitar that star played in movie fails to draw bids at auction
Demand for the guitar Elvis played in “Girls! Girls! Girls!” is apparently limited, limited, limited.
The 1944 Martin 0-17 guitar failed to draw a single bid when placed on the auction block Thursday by a Los Angeles auction house. It was listed at a beginning bid of $32,000.
The auction company will now attempt to sell it through a private sale, public relations spokesman Sam Heller said Friday.
“That’s the way it is in the auction business,” Heller said.
That’s not always the case with Elvis memorabilia, however. Some items seemingly less interesting than a guitar have done quite well, according to tripsavvy.com.
For example, the website notes, an empty prescription bottle sold for almost $4,000. Original album art went for nearly $5,000. And a jar of Elvis’ hair? That was worth $16,000 to somebody. As for the guitar, the description from Nate D. Sanders Auctions says it comes with a notarized letter of authenticity from Richard Davis, Elvis’ wardrobe manager, who describes the guitar as a prop used by Presley to promote the 1962 movie.
“Elvis kept this guitar in California and played it at home,” Davis writes.
In 1968, Davis drove Presley’s Rolls Royce, filled with personal belongings, back to Graceland.
“After Elvis died, I was helping Vernon Presley organize Elvis’ clothing at Graceland and Vernon gave me this 1944 Martin 0-17 guitar ... ,” Davis added.
A poster from the movie was included in the deal as well, along with an album featuring “We’ll Be Together” and “Return to Sender.”
The guitar “has some light dings and scratching,” the description says, “but overall (is) in very good condition.”