#43 • Group of Photographs Depicting Colonel Harland Sanders, Including Signed and Identified Examples

Part of The Colonel Sanders Artifact Collection (live auction by The Menish Group Auction & Real Estate)

High bid $400.00

Status: Sold

Description Offered here is a group of original photographs depicting Colonel Harland Sanders in a variety of personal, public, and professional settings. The lot includes two signed photographs of Sanders, a color photograph identified in period handwriting as depicting Colonel Sanders with Columbus J. Hyde and Juanita Hyde in 1970, and additional candid black-and-white photographs showing Sanders interacting with associates and guests. The photographs document Sanders during the later years of his career and provide a visual record of the public appearances, meetings, presentations, and personal interactions that became a defining part of his life following the growth and sale of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Several photographs retain contemporary handwritten identifications and annotations. The group remained among the preserved Sanders materials maintained by the Settle family and represents original period photographs rather than later reproductions. Historical Significance Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Colonel Sanders traveled extensively as an ambassador for the Kentucky Fried Chicken brand and as one of Kentucky's most recognizable public figures. Photographs from this period help document the relationships, events, and public engagements that contributed to his enduring legacy. This collection preserves both formal and candid moments, offering insight into Sanders' interactions with civic leaders, business associates, and members of the public during the final decades of his life. Story & Context Unlike publicity images produced for commercial distribution, these photographs appear to have been retained within the Sanders circle and preserved alongside other materials associated with Blackwood Hall and the Claudia Sanders Dinner House. Together they provide a glimpse into the daily activities and public life of the man behind one of the world's most recognizable restaurant brands. Provenance From the preserved collection associated with Colonel Harland Sanders and Claudia Sanders, maintained by the Settle family following their acquisition of Blackwood Hall and the Claudia Sanders Dinner House directly from Colonel and Claudia Sanders in 1974. Condition Various conditions throughout. Significant age-related wear, staining, discoloration, creasing, surface loss, emulsion damage, edge wear, and handling wear present. Some photographs exhibit substantial deterioration. Sold as found.