john f kennedy

JFK Ambulance Sold for $120,000 Despite Authenticity Doubts

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

Avid Luxist readers may recognize this vintage ambulance from our article earlier this month. The 1963 Pontiac Bonneville is one of only a handful converted to an ambulance and commissioned by the U.S. Navy. It was said to have carried out the solemn duty of transporting the remains and bereaved of the assassinated president John F. Kennedy, and was slated for the auction block under the auspices of Barrett-Jackson at its recently-concluded auction in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The story sounded credible and straightforward enough, but before the auction took place, reports surfaced to question the authenticity of the vehicle's provenance. It seemed, according to the reports, that the vehicle that actually carried JFK's remains and grieving widow and brother from Andrews Air Force Base to Bethesda Naval Hospital was actually destroyed several years ago.

Authenticity notwithstanding, Barrett-Jackson elected to auction the vehicle just the same, where it promptly sold for a high bid of $120,000 – less than it probably would have fetched if not for the question of its provenance, but more than if it were indeed just an ordinary ambulance. The buyer stated her intentions to donate the car for display at the Smithsonian, but to make the story all the stranger, ended up reportedly selling it for little more than she paid for it to the daughter of a limousine collector in Colorado whose father is presently incarcerated for bribing Alaskan legislators.

Gallery: 1963 Pontiac Bonneville JFK ambulance

Tags: 1963 Pontiac Bonneville, 1963 pontiac bonneville ambulance, 1963 Pontiac Bonneville JFK ambulance, barrett-jackson, jfk, John F Kennedy, john f. kennedy, kennedy, pontiac, Pontiac Bonneville, pontiac bonneville ambulance, scottsdale

Lee Harvey Oswald's Coffin Sells For $87,469

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

When I mentioned earlier this month that a Santa Monica auction house was auctioning of the the pine coffin in which the suspected assassin of President John F Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald was buried for almost 20 years, many commenters had very strong opinions. The sale of the water-damaged coffin attracted a flurry of global attention and the lot did extremely well at Nate D Sanders auction house. It had a starting bid of just $1,000 but the AP reports that a mystery bidder picked it up for $87,469 (including a 20 percent buyers' fee).

The coffin was unearthed in 1981 as a consequence of a dispute between Oswald's widow Marina and his brother Robert. Marina sought an exhumation believing that a Russian agent had been buried in her husband's place. After a medical examination proved the body was Oswald's, he was reburied in a new casket. The heavily damaged coffin is being sold by Baumgardner Funeral home, the undertaker that handled the reburial.

The auction was extended for two extra hours to accommodate last minute bidding. According to the auction house, two bidders competed for the prize at the end. The buyer may be revealed within the next few days.

Things connected to President Kennedy tend to sell very well at auction. Recently the Presidential Seal cake side decoration from President John F. Kennedy's May 29, 1962 birthday cake sold for over $6,500 at Heritage Auctions.

Tags: jfk, john f kennedy, kennedy assassination, lee harvey oswald, nate d sanders, oswald coffin

1962 JFK Cake Decoration Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

Ever see the Seinfeld episode in which Elaine accidentally eats a piece of the Duchess of Windor's antique wedding cake? We wouldn't recommend that trick with the piece shown above, the Presidential Seal cake side decoration from President John F. Kennedy's May 29, 1962 birthday cake. The unique piece is being sold November 17 at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas.

The sugar decoration was taken home by decorated NYPD Detective Patrick "Patty" Larkin the night of the party. The piece is a relic from the famous night when Marilyn Monroe sang "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" to JFK at Madison Square Garden as the giant cake was brought in. Larkin, who was working security detail the night of the event, brought the piece home for his then-girlfriend, Lois. Now Larkin's widow, she says that at the end of the night he saw that it was going to be thrown out and he told a worker he really liked it, and wondered if he could have it. "The worker said, 'that's between (you) and the garbage,' and the rest is now really history." She says the piece went from closet to closet in their houses throughout the years and she's hoping that it will go to someone who can preserve it.

The side decoration carries a pre-auction estimate of $5,000+, is being offered as part of Heritage Auction Galleries November Grand Format American & Political Memorabilia Auction, taking place in-person at the company's Dallas headquarters, as well as live online at HA.com.

The auction features an important selection of John F. Kennedy items assembled to mark the 50th anniversary of his 1960 election, including treasures such as a gold presentation watch worn by JFK throughout the campaign, and what may well be the only example of Kennedy's trademark rocking chair to come with an authentication from the Kennedy family.

Tags: heritage auctions, jfk, john f kennedy, marilyn monroe, president kennedy

Omega's New John F. Kennedy Speedmaster Watch Ads

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Please note that the US President in this message does not endorse this ad. This is a brand new advertisement campaign from Omega with permission from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. The ads will not be limited to the US, as this international campaign is part of a larger effort by Omega to increase demand for the brand worldwide. Recent efforts include the opening of a flagship store on 5th Avenue in New York City, as well as a celebrity appearance by Michael Phelps (which makes sense as Omega is the official Olympics watch).

The Kennedy connection is of course possible due to licensing from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation that owns Kennedy's image's right of publicity. The idea behind the campaign is that because the Omega Speedmaster Professional was the official watch used by US astronauts, and eventually saw its way to the moon, it has a connection with John F. Kennedy who was instrumental in advancing US efforts to visit the moon and fund the space program. He was killed in 1963, several years before the space program was even looking too promising. I like how the ad displays the Speedmaster Moon Watch in the retro image, making it look perfectly at home, and helps advance the idea that it is really a timeless tool watch design. This year celebrates the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, for which special edition Omega Speedmaster Professional watches are available.

Ariel Adams publishes the popular watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: ad, advertisement, JFK, john f kennedy, JohnFKennedy, moon watch, MoonWatch, omega, speedmaster

Omega To Sell Replica JFK Watches

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

In 2005, Omega spent $350,000 on the Ultra Thin Omega watch that belonged to President John F. Kennedy. Now they are making the most of their investment with the launch of a limited-edition timepiece that will be virtually identical to the "Ultra Thin" Omega that Kennedy wore during his January 20, 1961 inauguration and throughout much of his presidency. There will be 261numbered commemorative timepieces available for purchase this spring. The watches will have the same 18K gold casing and black leather strap as well as the gold stamp of the word "Omega" and the company's symbol both on the original. Each wristwatch will retail for $8,250 and will be available for purchase in time for Father's Day. Given the recent comparisons between the two in the media, it would be the perfect gift for Barack Obama.

Source

Tags: john f kennedy, omega, timepiece, wristwatch