Colonel Sanders Auction
Auctioneer Jonathan Klunk gestures to a display of personal items owned by KFC founder Harland Sanders, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in Shelbyville, Ky. (AP Photo/Dylan Lovan)
As featured on
KFC founder Harland Sanders’ signature black bow tie and dozens of his personal items were up for public auction. The family who bought his dinner house and residence in Kentucky also is auctioning off those properties this week. The Claudia Sanders Dinner House was established after the colonel sold his iconic restaurant chain. Sanders’ personal 1964 planner with a handwritten herbs and spices recipe that was the subject of an early 2000s privacy lawsuit sold for $30,000. KFC later dropped the legal action, saying after reviewing the planner the ingredients didn’t match Sanders’ secret blend of 11 herbs and spices.
