May 22 - Sold!

A Gibson guitar that Elvis Presley was given by his father has sold for $334,000 (£230,000) at at an auction at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York. It is thought that Vernon Presley changed the finish on the Gibson Dove to black after his son earned a black belt in karate. Presley gave the guitar to a fan during a concert in North Carolina in 1975.

Elvis Presley's first piano, a Stroud piano from 1911, sold for $140,000. Elvis Presley bought the piano at the age of 20 at O.K. Houck Piano Company Inc. Memphis, on September 30 1955 for $ 281.75. Presley paid $ 50 as deposit, and the balance was paid over 11 months. Later the piano stood in the room of Joe Esposito at Graceland. Eventually Christine Strickland, his cook, get the piano. After her death, the piano was sold to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame Museum in July 1992, where it was on display until 1999. In October of that year the piano was sold at auction in Las Vegas. Today, the piano was offered at Julien's Auctions. 

(Source: BBC / Julien Auctions / Elvis Matters)