The Wonderful World Of E.P.E. Memorabilia (1957-61)

By Bob Pakes
 
 

1956 was a magical year in the career of Elvis Presley. He seemed to be all over the place and on everybody’s lips. And not just on everybody’s lips …
We all love to hate the Colonel. But merchandising his client as a ‘brand’ was like striking gold. The commercial success of Elvis Presley Enterprises (E.P.E.) merchandise even outweighed that of Disney and the hugely popular cowboy stars of the day.
 
In this article I will try to bring together all pieces of vintage E.P.E. memorabilia, in the absolute best possible quality. And to make this article easy to navigate and search, I’ve chosen to list these items alphabetically.
Since the collection is so big, it will be presented in two parts. In PART ONE you will find the first 50 items (over 100 images). Enjoy the ride!

 
 

TO THE LEFT we see the window of a Shoe-Store in 1956, announcing the Elvis Presley products they have for sale, ranging from shoes to hats and gloves.
 
BELOW we have a very interesting article from Billboard magazine (September 29, 1956). This article gives us a perfect insight into how extremely big the merchandise campaign actually was.
The man in charge of it all was Hank Saperstein, whom had already succesfully merchandised The Lone Ranger and Lassie among other brands. Saperstein estimated that the $ 20.000.000 sales mark would be reached before the year was over. At the time the article was published, hundreds of thousands of E.P.E. items had already been sold, and the only problem seemed to be that the production companies could hardly keep up with the skyrocketing demand for Presley merchandise. One of the reasons for the incredible success of the campaign could have been that all the large department stores (including Sears, Woolworth’s, Roebuck and Macy’s) kept stock of the E.P.E. merchandise.
 
In the TWO PHOTOS UNDERNEATH the Billboard article, we can see Saperstein and Elvis (on the set of Love Me Tender) checking out part of the merchandise.
Quite clearly visible are the E.P.E. blue jeans, the felt skirt, bolo tie, bookends and hat.
In the first image we see Elvis holding an E.P.E. belt in his right hand, while he is going through the Elvis Answers Back magazine in the second image.

 
 

The complete collection of vintage ELVIS PRESLEY ENTERPRISES memorabilia

PART ONE

 
 

Ashtray | 1956

Is it an Ashtray, is it a Coaster?
Well, it is collectable, that’s what it is!
 
From the image you might get the impression it’s quite a large piece, but in reality it’s only 3,5 inch in diameter.

 
 

Autograph Book | 1956

The artwork and the color chosen for this
Autograph Book, could also be found on the
following E.P.E. products:
* Diary
* Photo Album
* Record Case
* Scrapbook
(all coming up later in this article)

 
 

Belt (leather) | 1956

Here we have the rather cool black Leather Belt.
 
And to the right we see one of at least two different Belt Buckles that were available in 1956.

 
 

Belt (plastic) | 1956

These Plastic Belts came in two different styles, and in many different colors. These colors perfectly matched the colors of the Wallets/Purses E.P.E. put out at the same time.

 
 

Binder | 1956

This zippered 3-ring Binder was available in at least three colors.

 
 

Bolo Tie | 1956

Two different styles of a Bolo Tie were
manufactured. The most wellknown had this
framed photo of Elvis, the other one had a guitar.

 
 

Bookends | 1956

Apparently a lot of fans did not use these Bookends as …, well, bookends, but rather displayed them as if they were Elvis busts. And why not?
These are not that easy to find nowadays as a pair.

 
 

Bust | 1961

The official Elvis Bust came in two colors. This is the only E.P.E. product manufactured in 1961 and the last of the vintage E.P.E. merchandise.
 
Notice how the hair is an exact copy of the ’56 Bookends, and especially the sideburns were very much a thing of the past by 1961.

 
 

Diary (one year) | 1956

Shown here is the one year version of the Elvis Diary.
It was also available in a three year version.
 
Besides holding the Diary, the girl in the photo is also dressed up in E.P.E. wear (T-Shirt + Skirt) and a Pillow and Scarf are visible as well.

 
 

Dog Tag Jewelry | 1958

The copyright date on all the pieces of Dog Tag merchandise says 1956, but these were actually produced in 1958.
 
Left we see a Dog Tag Necklace, right the Dog Tag Key Chain. Below (from top to bottom):
Dog Tag Anklet, Men’s Bracelet, Lady’s Bracelet (silver) and Lady’s Bracelet (gold).

 
 

Doll | 1957

One of the rarest vintage E.P.E. items is this 18 inch tall Elvis Doll.
The materials used to manufacture the doll rather quickly deterioted over time (unless well taken care of), making it the most sought after piece in the original E.P.E. series. Especially in it’s original box, this one is almost impossible to find.
 
The girls in the photo check out a Scrapbook. We can also see the Record Case, plus 1-sheet posters for Love Me Tender and Loving You. While all this time the Elvis Doll is minding his own business in the foreground of this cool picture.

 
 

Eau De Parfum | 1957

Today, just about every famous entertainer has an own fragrance on the market. But back in 1956 it was kind of special to be able to buy an Elvis Presley Perfume.
 
In the 60’s, this Perfume was updated with a differently shaped bottle and a more recent pic of Elvis on the label.

 
 

Flasher Pins | 1956

“Elvis Presley in motion” 
 
This Flasher Pin was a cool gadget!
 
The ad the the right is from Billboard (December 22, 1956).
 
Below we see a different Billboard-ad (from December 8, 1956) for the Flasher Pin. And also some clear examples of different images used for this pin, as well as the larger variant, including their back-side. Interesting is also the proof sheet of 9 unused flasher buttons still part of the original thick plastic board.

 
 

Glass | 1956

You could pour yourself a double shot of Elvis’ love in this official Glass. Or just a diet-coke of course.
Nice item!

 
 

Glass Plate | 1956

This Glass Plate matches the E.P.E. Glass.
 
I have never seen an image of this plate in it’s original box, but I’m sure it would be a treat to witness this.

 
 

Glow In The Dark Photo | 1957

This Glow In The Dark Photo would glow for a
couple of hours after the lights went out.
So Elvis Presley would probably be the last thing
on the mind of the teenage girl before she went
to sleep.
 
The image of the sweet looking Elvis was also used
for the E.P.E. Teddy Bear Perfume, while most of
the other merchandise had a rocking or singing
Elvis Presley image.

 
 

Guitar (with case) | 1956

One of the most famous E.P.E. products: the Elvis Presley Guitar, which was available with four and six strings.
A Chord Player (that can be seen in the image to the left) and a small Songbook were included with the package.
 
In the picture to the right we can see that the Carrying Case measured around 3 feet.

Here we see two pieces of the guitar in more detail.
The photo to the right was taken on the set of Running Wild. Other pics of this day of Elvis with the E.P.E. guitar exist.

 
 

Handkerchiefs | 1956

Every teenager’s dream:
blow your nose in Elvis.
 
The Handkerchiefs came with different images and in different colors.

 
 

Hat | 1956

Certainly one of the most popular E.P.E. items, this Hat can be seen in a lot of pictures from those years.
 
To the right we see the hat with the original tag still attached.
The hat was later (in ’57) available with a different tag, this time promoting Loving You.
 
And below we have two nice store-ads, as well as some images from the Welcome Home Elvis shows in Tupelo. Elvis’ girlfriend Barbara Hearn can be seen in the background of the middle picture.

 
 

Headscarf | 1956

This Headscarf is similar to the regular Scarf (further down in this article) except for it’s shape of course.
 
The ad to the right is from Billboard (November 3, 1956).

 
 

Hot Plate Holder | 1956

So, the true fan would eat her dinner in full Elvis-style:
* drink from an Elvis Glass
* eat from an Elvis Plate
while dinner could be served on a hot plate holder!

Since this 6 by 6 inch ceramic plate came with a hanging mechanism on the back, many fans used it as wall-decoration.

 
 

Jacket | 1956

If I would have been around in mid 50’s America, THIS would have topped my wantlist! My absolue favourite of all the vintage E.P.E. merchandise.
 
This cool Jacket did not sell very well since it was one of the most expensive E.P.E. items. This is why this item hardly turns up in auction nowadays.

 
 

Jeans | 1956

From the impossible to find Jacket to the impossible to find Blue Jeans is just a small step.
 
To the left we see the original tag of the jeans, and to the right we have an ad. But that’s about it. Apart from a low-rez image in one of the collector books, I never saw this pair of jeans on the web anywhere.

 
 

John’s Pocket-Movie Elvis Presley | 1957

Here we have a Flip-Book. If you went through the pages fast, you could see Vince doing part of the Baby, I Don’t Care dance-routine from Jailhouse Rock.

 
 

Lipstick | 1956

The Elvis Presley Lipstick was available in 6 different colors, of which Running Wild Pink is the rarest variation. Running Wild was the title for Elvis’ upcoming new movie (which eventually became Loving You).
 
Below we see one of these lipsticks is full detail.

 
 

‘Love Me Tender’ Necklace | 1956

The Love Me Tender Necklace was manufactured in both silver and gold.
 
Scroll down this article, to the Short-Sleeved T-Shirt, to see this necklace in ‘action’.

 
 

Overnight Case | 1956

The Overnight Case was availbale in an least two colors, blue and brown.
 
Below we have this case in detail.

 
 

Paint Set | 1957

Another near impossible to find piece of E.P.E. memorabilia: the 1957 Elvis Presley Paint Set.
 
Ger Rijff did a short but interesting article on this set for Echoes, check it out HERE!

 
 

Pencils | 1956

The Pencils had “Sincerely yours, Elvis Presley” printed on them, and they came 12 in a pack.
 
To the right an original shipping carton (that would hold 12 sets of pencils) for this item.

 
 

Photo Album | 1956

The Photo Album measured 10 by 14 inch.

 
 

Pillow | 1956

The E.P.E. Pillow was available in many different designs.
 
In the photo to the right, next to the Pillow, we can also see the Elvis Presley Statuette (scroll down this article for a clear image of this item) and a plastic framed E.P.E. licensed picture of Elvis (laying face-down on the couch).

 
 

Pin | 1956

This Pin was available in different sizes, as well as with and without the “Best Wishes” and autograph on it.
 
On the photo to the right we see Elvis with Tommy Blake (December 15, 1956).
A nice photo of the Colonel wearing the same button also exists.

 
 

Pins | 1956

Probably because of it’s low price, this large I Like Elvis button was a very popular item in the 50’s. Many photos from concerts exist that show female fans wearing this button. Below are some nice examples.
 
From left to right:
* March 28, 1957
* April 1, 1957
* March 30, 1957

 
 

Record Case | 1956

Measuring nearly 8 by 8 inch, this Record Case must have been a good seller for E.P.E.
It’s also one of only a few E.P.E. items that was not striclty aimed at the female public.

 
 

Ring | 1956

The gold-plated adjustable Ring is quite rare nowadays. And the 1956 Display Card still holding all 12 rings will easily set you back two grand.
 
To the right we have a fullpage ad from Modern Screen (April 1957). Please click the image for the full picture
 
Below we see the display, as well as the ring, in more detail.

 
 

Scarf | 1956

The larger sister of the Headscarf: the regular Scarf.
 
The photo to the right was taken during the unveiling of the giant Elvis cut-out on NY’s Times Square, on October 28, 1956. But I’m not sure if that lady is holding the Scarf or the Headscarf.

 
 

Scrapbook | 1956

The Scrapbook measured 12 by 14 inch.
 
Not too long ago, the official E.P.E. Diary showed up in auction, and the nicest thing about it was that the original owner had actually used it to write down all the Elvis-related news (TV appearances, new records, etc.) from back in the day (and there was a lot of it!), and it now functions as some sort of time machine.
Hopefully one day this E.P.E. Scrapbook will also show up, loaded with rare clippings and candids from those magical years 1956 and ’57 …

 
 

Skirt | 1956

This felt Skirt was available in grey (left) and black (right).
And apparently the E.P.E. skirt was also available in denim in corduroy. But I have never seen any proof of this myself.

 
 

Skirt | 1956

It actually came in different designs and sizes, which, again, were available in black and grey.

 
 

Sneakers | 1956

To the right we see Elvis with Hank Saperstein, the man in charge of the E.P.E. merchandise train

The sneaker was available in two colors: in black + green, and in white + black.

 
 

Statuette | 1956

This 7,5 inch high bronze Statuette was actually made out of plastic.
 
To the right we have a double ad from Hep Cat’s magazine (December 1957) for the Statuette and the Lipstick.
Notice how the name of Running Wild Pink (see the Lipstick color chart earlier in this article) has now been changed to Heartbreak Pink.

 
 

The Elvis Presley Game | 1957

Rare with a capitol R, The Elvis Presley Game is nearly impossible to find.
 
Please check out Ger Rijff‘s cool article on the Elvis boardgame HERE!

 
 

T-Shirt (short-sleeve) | 1956

Another big seller was this official E.P.E. T-Shirt. Probably the most popular fan-item for any artist anytime anywhere.
 
The photo to the right is from October 28, 1956 in New York, outside Studio 50 (home of the Ed Sullivan Show) where Elvis was performing that day.
The girl wearing this shirt is also wearing the Love Me Tender Necklace.

 
 

T-Shirt (long-sleeve) | 1956

Not nearly as popular as the short-sleeved T-Shirt back in the day, this long-sleeved Shirt is much harder to trace nowadays.
 
Both T-Shirts are being advertised in the ad to the right.

 
 
 
 

 
 

Well, that’s it for the moment. Keep an eye on Echoes for PART TWO, COMING SOON.
More E.P.E. merchandise is on it’s way. From a truckload of different Wallets and Purses, through even more Jewelry, Dresses, Pins/Buttons and Mittens (yes, mittens!), to Framed Pictures and lovely fluffy E.P.E. Hound Dogs and Teddy Bears!

STAY TUNED!

CREDITS + THANKS:
* The images of the E.P.E. memorabilia in this article were collected over the course of nearly a year. The bulk of these items have appeared on US auction sites.
* Credit for the b/w Elvis (+ Elvis-related) photos in this article goes to the original (unknown) photographers.
* Credit for the E.P.E. ads that appeared in Billboard, as well as the E.P.E. Merchandise article, goes to Billboard magazine.
 
* Many thanks to KARI PAJU for helping out with the scan of the EPE Ring-ad that appeared in Modern Screen magazine.
* Credit and thanks for the use of the EPE Dog Tag goes to JOE KREIN
 

For the text in this article I have mainly used Elvis Collectibles as reference.
 
This book by Rosalind Cranor, virtually loaded with black/white images of vintage Presley memorabilia and long out of print (but it can sometimes be found on eBay), comes very highly recommended!
First Edition – 1983
Second Edition – 1987
 
This article is dedicated to my original Echoes-partner in crime, the biggest vintage E.P.E.-fan I know, and still the main inspiration for this website: GER RIJFF.