A jet that once belonged to Elvis Presley has a new owner, who shelled out $260,000 at an auction in Florida on January 8. The musician’s former wife, Priscilla, was present.
She said, “Elvis loved planes and this was one of them. This is my first auction and I’m excited to be here. Today would be Elvis’ 88th birthday.”
According to Robb Report, the “1962 Lockheed 1329 JetStar crossed the block at the Mecum Kissimmee Collector Car auction.”
Elvis is often referred to as the King of Rock n’ Roll, though some would argue Chuck Berry deserves that title. Wherever one stands on that debate, Elvis’ iconic status is still evident decades after his sudden death at 42 in 1977.
There are countless Elvis impersonators, and he’s been the subject of many movies and documentaries. In 2005, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers played him in a TV mini- series. The 2022 film Elvis, starring Austin Butler, was praised by critics.
Click the link above for a picture of the jet.
The Jet Probably Could Have Gone For More
Considering who owned it originally, it’s surprising the jet didn’t collect much more than it did.
Robb Report wrote, “bidding started at $100,000, jumped to $150,000 but settled at $200,000. Only with plenty of coaxing did it get up to $240,000, where it stayed for a number of minutes. Finally, $260,000 came from a telephone bidder, the reserve came off and the hammer fell.”
The name of the buyer has not been disclosed.
It Wasn't Present At The Auction
The jet wasn’t brought to Florida for the auction.
Robb Report explained, “it’s currently parked in the desert, gathering dust at the Roswell International Air Center in Roswell, New Mexico, where it has sat outside for close to 40 years.”
The elements have taken its toll on the jet’s exterior. But the inside is well preserved.
It mirrors Elvis’ flamboyant style, including “red velvet upholstery, red shag carpeting and gold-finished hardware.”
Moving The Plane Will Be Tricky
Elvis purchased the jet a year before he died for around $840,000. That would be $4.4 million today.
For the new, unnamed owner, moving the plane will be tricky logistically.
For sure, it’ll never take to the skies again, at least not on its own.
Robb Report wrote, “the Lockheed’s four engines and most of its cockpit instrumentation were removed years ago, so it’s not flying anywhere. To transport the plane will require plenty of disassembling.”
Elvis Wasn't Without Controversy
Post war America was quite conservative.
So when Elvis swiveled his hips suggestively on stage, there were those who clutched their pearls and those who went wild.
The swivel became his signature move, just as the Moonwalk was for Michael Jackson.
Elvis’ courting of Priscilla has also raised eyebrows over the years.
According to Yahoo! “it’s not the age gap itself that caused such a scandal when Elvis and Priscilla first met, but their respective ages at the time.”
“Elvis first met his future wife when he was 24 years old, during his time in the Army. So, how old was Priscilla when she met Elvis? Just 14 years old, and Elvis began pursuing her romantically almost immediately.”
They married when he was 32 and she was 21. They had one daughter, Lisa Marie.