More than 70 personal belongings of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders were sold at auction in Shelbyville, Kentucky, attracting collectors from across the United States and online. The sale underlined the continuing commercial and cultural appeal of Sanders, whose image remains central to one of the world’s best-known fast-food brands.

Items came from Sanders’ personal and professional life, including handwritten notes, recipe cards and his signature clip-on black bow tie. A 1964 planner prompted one of the fiercest bidding contests and sold for $30,000, while the wider collection had reportedly been stored in basements and cupboards before being offered for sale.