The real estate and memorabilia of KFC founder Harland Sanders are going up for public auction. The home of Colonel Sanders, known as Blackwood Hall, and his wife's restaurant, the Claudia Sanders Dinner House in Shelbyville are for sale.
Later this month, collectors from around the world have a chance to own a part of fast food history synonymous with Kentucky.
The memorabilia of KFC founder Harland Sanders is up for public auction. The Shelbyville home of Colonel Sanders known as Blackwood Hall and his wife's restaurant, the Claudia Sanders Dinner House are also for sale.
Jonathan Klunk is an auctioneer with the Louisville-based Menish Group, which is handling the estate.
He said one of the most interesting items is the Colonel's daily planner with 11 herbs and spices handwritten in the back. That recipe was the subject of a lawsuit in 2001.
"My clients, the Settles, the owners of the property, wanted to know if this was the original recipe," Klunk told WKU Public Radio. "They reached out to them, served a lawsuit. KFC took control of the book, looked at it, and said it was not the original recipe."
The original KFC fried chicken recipe has never been made public.
Other items for auction include one of Sanders' black bow ties worn with his iconic white suits, photographs, and letters from US presidents, as well as the Colonel's engraved pressure cooker and personal stove.
"This is a commercial stove that he had installed in the house, identical to what was in restaurants at the time because this was his classroom," Klunk explained. "This was the early days of franchise training, so people would travel to Blackwood Hall in Shelbyville, Kentucky, and then he would teach them how to prepare the chicken."
The collection currently belongs to former KFC corporate employee Cherry Settle and her late husband Tommy who purchased the home and restaurant from Harland and Claudia Sanders in 1974.
The collection is expected to attract interest from museums, private collectors, franchise operators, food historians, and others.
"There's a big interest in Japan because that's where the Colonel is celebrated the probably most on this planet outside of the United States, and maybe even a little bit more," Klunk said.
A public preview of the properties and all the memorabilia will be held July 27. The live auction will take place on July 28 at the Claudia Sanders Dinner House starting at 6 pm. The auction will by syndicated worldwide.
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