A racquetball used by Elvis just hours before his death is heading for auction in the US this month. The blue rubber ball may possibly fetch up to $8,000 when it goes up for sale on March 20, as part of GWS Auctions' Archives of Hollywood & Music sale. The ball originates from the personal collection of Presley's cousin Billy Smith, who shared the racquetball court with him during his fateful final hours on August 16, 1977.
The GWS Auction offers numerous other pieces of Elvis memorabilia, including jewelry, clothing and personal items. Notable lots will include Elvis' tuxedo from the 1969 film Trouble With Girls; his Martin D-18 Blonde Face acoustic guitar; his Smith & Wesson Chief Special .38 handgun, engraved with his own 'TCB' logo; and a pair of his iconic 1970s custom Gold & Silver 'TCB' sunglasses. Among the more unusual items up for grabs are Elvis' Schick Pro 1200 hair dryer; a pair of his Smith and Wesson police-issue handcuffs; his black Maglite flashlight; and his personal set of President Nixon Re-Election bumper stickers.
Some interesting items:
Elvis Martin D-18 Blonde Face Acoustic Guitar - US$5,000 min bid
Elvis Presley's Martin D-18 Blonde Face Acoustic Guitar W/Notarized COA Signed by Charlie Hodge - This stunning blonde face Martin D-18 acoustic guitar once belonged to Elvis Presley, who likely used it during the early 1970s. The guitar was later purchased by collector Mike L. Moon in 1982 and exhibited and/or stored at his Elvis Museums for over 30 years. Elvis Presley's Final Racquetball Ball Used the Morning of His Death Given to Billy Smith W/LOA - US$ 500 min bid
This racquetball ball was personally owned by the King of Rock n' Roll, Elvis Presley. Elvis began playing racquetball after learning the game from his trusted physician Dr. Nick's son, and would often bond over the game with his family and trusted entourage the Memphis Mafia. According to our seller, this ball was used by Elvis around 6:00am on the morning of his tragic death during a racquetball game played with his cousin and best friend Billy Smith when he could not sleep. The light blue ball was given by Elvis to Billy right before he sang "Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain" along with several other songs before retiring upstairs to his bedroom. This ball was obtained directly from Billy Smith by collector Mike Moon, and was exhibited at his Elvis Museums for over 30 years. The ball will be accompanied by a letter of authenticity from "EP Archives" of Las Vegas, Nevada, indicating that the offered piece was among the items purchased from the Mike Moon collection in 2018.
Elvis 1975 Custom Gold & Silver TCB Sunglasses- US $2,000
These large gold frame sunglasses were personally owned and worn by Elvis Presley while at the Las Vegas Hilton in 1975. The glasses have a heavy, gold colored frame with silver TCB logos on each arm, gradient orange lenses which appear to have Elvis' light prescription. According to the accompanying letters of authenticity, these sunglasses were given by Elvis to Fabian Juarez, who was working as an usher at the Las Vegas Hilton. Elvis was known to give away many personal items as gifts. The glasses are accompanied by a letter from Juarez which states in part, "That evening after the show, I was back stage when Elvis came up to me and told me he had planned to give me a gold watch that evening but had run into someone previously and gave that watch away and took his glasses off of his face and handed them to me saying 'here, these are for you'." Juarez kept these glasses in his possession from when he was given them in 1975 until 2014 when he then gifted them (in true Elvis fashion) to Elvis tribute artist Bill Cherry. Elvis Presley's MGM Custom Navy 3-Piece Tuxedo Made for "Trouble With Girls" - US $7,500
This iconic piece is a 3-piece suit which was designed by the MGM wardrobe department for Elvis Presley to be worn in his last film, Trouble With Girls. The suit includes: navy blue wool jacket with black satin trim, satin lining, three outside and one inside pocket, and an interior MGM label with "E. Presley" and production number "1875" hand written in black ink; navy blue wool pants with black satin trim on each leg; and a black and navy satin vest. This suit was previously sold at auction in 1981 where it was misidentified as being from the 1967 Elvis Presley film Double Trouble, and it was actually from the 1969 film Trouble With Girls verified by the production number on the accompanying MGM promo photos which have the production number hand written in the corners. The suit will be accompanied by a copy of the original auction listing from 1981 and reference photos from the film, along with a letter of authenticity indicating that the offered piece was among the items purchased from the Mike Moon collection in 2018.Collection Les Legendes de la Musique
(Source: GWC / Elvis Information Network / Elvis Club Berlin)