The Colonel’s Home, Restaurant And Personal Treasures Are Heading To Bid
That’s right, gals and gents! Ever wanted to get your paws on some nifty, far-out Colonel Sanders memorabilia? Perhaps a bow tie, an engraved pressure cooker or a handwritten page that may—or may not—bring you dangerously close to those famous 11 herbs and spices?
Well, now is your unusually specific lucky moment. A major collection connected to KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders and his wife, Claudia Sanders, is heading to auction in Shelbyville, Kentucky—and the offering goes far beyond a few restaurant souvenirs.
The sale includes nearly 100 personal and professional artifacts, along with the historic Claudia Sanders Dinner House, the operating restaurant business and Blackwood Hall, the couple’s longtime home and former headquarters for Kentucky Fried Chicken.
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The collection has remained under the stewardship of the Settle family, who purchased Blackwood Hall and the Claudia Sanders Dinner House directly from Colonel and Claudia Sanders in 1974. These are not random pieces gathered later by a memorabilia dealer; many came directly from the home, restaurant and working life of the couple behind the global brand.
Among the lots are handwritten recipes and cooking notes, personal photographs, business records, Kentucky Colonel certificates, letters from U.S. presidents, clothing, jewelry, watches, restaurant-training materials and furnishings from Blackwood Hall.
There is also Sanders’ personal traveling cutlery set, carried in a leather case, plus an engraved pressure cooker he reportedly used while demonstrating the cooking method that helped transform fried chicken into fast food.
And Then There Is That 1964 Planner
One item is already attracting extra attention: Sanders’ 1964 personal working planner, filled with handwritten notes, daily records and business observations.
A page inside reportedly lists 11 herbs and spices with percentages. Auctioneer Bill Menish is not declaring it thee secret KFC recipe—and neither are we—but the future owner will apparently be free to inspect the evidence and begin their own delicious conspiracy board.
Other deeply personal pieces include rings, lapel buttons, watches and a timepiece Sanders wore during an appearance on The Tonight Show. The appeal is not simply that these objects carry his likeness; many were pieces he actually used and wore.
The Home And Restaurant Are Separate From The Memorabilia Sale
The auction has two timelines. The live and online memorabilia auction begins at the Claudia Sanders Dinner House on July 28, 2026, at 6 p.m. EDT. A public preview is scheduled for July 27 from noon until 6 p.m.
The historic real-estate and business package is being handled through sealed bids due July 31 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. That offering includes Blackwood Hall, the Claudia Sanders Dinner House, the operating restaurant, furniture, equipment, intellectual property, trademark rights, goodwill and related assets.
The restaurant remains open and operating during the sale process, with dining, events and reservations continuing as planned. For the surrounding community, the larger question is not only who buys the property—but whether the next owner keeps the Claudia Sanders legacy cooking.
Inside The Colonel Sanders Collection
Scenes from WLWT’s report offer a closer look at the property, personal artifacts and pieces of fast-food history being prepared for auction.
Colonel Sanders memorabilia, Blackwood Hall and the Claudia Sanders Dinner House prepare for auction in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Images via WLWT.
So yes, you can bid on a piece of KFC history. Just know that the biggest lot comes with more responsibility than finding room on a shelf: it includes a mansion, a working restaurant and one enormously recognizable Kentucky legacy.
Watch WLWT Tour Colonel Sanders’ Home And Auction Collection
Reporter Brian Hamrick visits Shelbyville for a closer look at Sanders’ personal items, the attention-grabbing planner and the historic property being offered for sale.
Source: The Menish Group’s official Claudia Sanders auction site and WLWT.
