London -
When Elvis Presley鈥檚 debut album took the charts by storm in 1956, 鈥淏lue Suede Shoes鈥 was its opening track.
Now, fans have the opportunity to step into the King鈥檚 very own blue suede shoes as they go up for grabs at British auction house Henry Aldridge and Son 鈥 for an estimated 拢100,000 to 拢120,000 (around US$126,000 to US$152,000).
The shoes, which are size 10 and a half and stamped with the 鈥淣unn-Bush鈥 brand, were worn by Presley both on and off stage during the 1950s, according to a description on the .
Presley wore the shoes while singing 鈥淚 Want You, I Need You, I Love You鈥 and 鈥淗ound Dog鈥 on 鈥淭he Steve Allen Show鈥 in 1956, according to the auctioneer, and gave them to his friend Alan Fortas in 1958, the night before leaving for the U.S. Army.
Presley wore the shoes while singing 'I Want You, I Need You, I Love You' on 'The Steve Allen Show' in July 1956. (NBCU Photo Bank / Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
The shoes have been authenticated by Jimmy Velvet, a close friend of Presley and the founder of the .
The lot is accompanied by a letter of authenticity hand-signed by Velvet, as well as a letter by Fortas, which describes the events of the evening he was given the shoes.
鈥淭he night before Elvis鈥 army induction here in Memphis, Elvis had an all night party at Graceland,鈥 the letter says, according to the auction site.
鈥淎fterwards we went to the Rainbow roller rink. When we all got home Elvis called some of us upstairs and was giving away some of his clothes he didn鈥檛 think he would be wearing or wanted when he came back from the army. That night Elvis gave me these blue suede shoes size 10 1/2. I鈥檝e owned these all these years,鈥 the letter continues.
The auction will go live on Friday. Bidding for the shoes, which are described as 鈥渁n iconic lot of showbusiness memorabilia that simply transcends 20th century popular culture,鈥 starts at 拢55,000 (around US$69,600).