Elvis Presley’s white WM Knabe & Co grand piano realised $375,190 in a charity sale hosted on eBay over the weekend.
The auction attracted over 100 bids.
Elvis bought this piano in a sale in 1957
That result is the second highest sum ever paid for a piece of Elvis memorabilia. The top item remains a piano covered in gold leaf that realised $600,000 in 2015.
The lot originally stood onstage in the Ellis Auditorium in Memphis. Elvis grew up poor and used to sneak in through the back door to hear musicians like Duke Ellington and Count Basie perform.
In 1957 the space underwent restorations and this piano was one of a number of items that were offered for sale.
Elvis was at the height of his early fame by this time.
When he found out that the piano was up for grabs he jumped at the chance to secure it.
The lot took pride of place in his music room at Graceland, up until 1968 – when wife Priscilla Presley bought him the aforementioned gold leaf piano as an anniversary gift.
This piano was placed in storage up until 1976, when a local studio bought it.
The proceeds from the auction went to the Starkey Hearing Foundation, which provides free hearing aids to those who can’t afford them.
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