A collection of personal belongings belonging to Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), was offered at auction on Tuesday evening, featuring items that include his pressure cooker, signature black bow tie, and a variety of memorabilia tied to his legacy. The sale also encompassed Sanders’s former residence and the Claudia Sanders Dinner House, both located in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

Sanders, who became an iconic figure and the enduring face of the global fast-food chain he established, originally used the Shelbyville property as the first headquarters for his restaurant business in the late 1950s. After building the brand, he sold the property in 1974 to Tommy and Cherry Settle, who have continued to operate the Claudia Sanders Dinner House ever since.

Among the notable items auctioned was a 1964 personal planner belonging to Sanders, which attracted attention due to a past legal dispute involving KFC Corporation. In the early 2000s, KFC filed a lawsuit seeking to maintain the confidentiality of the notebook’s contents, which were believed to include the company’s closely guarded recipe for its signature blend of 11 herbs and spices. However, after reviewing the planner, KFC discontinued the legal action, concluding that the handwritten recipe likely pertained to a stuffing mix and did not match the secret chicken seasoning formula.

The auction offered enthusiasts and collectors a unique opportunity to acquire artifacts connected to the early history of one of the world’s most recognizable fast-food brands and its charismatic founder.