#40 • SONGS OF A SOURDOUGH Inscribed Pocket Edition Presented to Harlan Sanders by His Mother, August 4, 1933
Part of The Colonel Sanders Artifact Collection (live auction by The Menish Group Auction & Real Estate)
High bid $400.00
Status: Sold
DESCRIPTION Small leather-bound pocket edition of Songs of a Sourdough by famed Canadian poet and Yukon storyteller Robert W. Service. The volume retains its original black leather binding with gilt-stamped title on the front cover and exhibits expected wear consistent with age and use. Inside is a handwritten presentation inscription dated August 4, 1933, appearing to read: "To my dearest son Harlan from Mother" "Aug. 4, 1933" The inscription directly associates the book with Harland Sanders decades before he achieved international recognition as Colonel Sanders and founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Pocket books of this type were commonly carried and read repeatedly, making surviving family-associated examples especially personal artifacts. The volume offers a glimpse into Sanders' early life and family relationships during a formative period of his adulthood, long before the development of the business empire that would make him one of the most recognizable figures in the world. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Unlike later promotional materials or business memorabilia, this book represents a personal family possession tied directly to Harland Sanders' private life. The dated inscription places the gift in 1933, a period preceding Sanders' rise to national prominence and years before the creation of the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise system. Objects connected to Sanders' family life are considerably scarcer than commercial KFC memorabilia and provide important context for understanding the man behind the public persona. The personal nature of the inscription enhances the artifact's historical and emotional significance. STORY & CONTEXT Many artifacts associated with Colonel Sanders reflect the public businessman, restaurateur, and global spokesman. This volume instead offers a more intimate connection to the young Harlan Sanders. Gifted by his mother and inscribed in her hand, the book survives as a tangible reminder of family relationships that predate the white suit, black string tie, and worldwide fame. As part of the preserved Sanders collection connected to Blackwood Hall and the Settle family, the volume contributes to the broader narrative of Sanders not merely as a business icon, but as a son, husband, friend, and individual whose life story began long before the Kentucky Fried Chicken brand became a global phenomenon.
