ELVIS PRESLEY A rare custom-made karate Gi/Doe Bouk comprising a jacket and trousers of white canvas, the jacket trimmed with scarlet satin and decorated with three appliquéd patches, one on the front embroidered in yellow and white with the T.C.B. logo [Elvis' trademark: Taking Care Of Business] and the words FAITH, SPIRIT..DISCIPLINE and one on the back embroidered with red and black lettering KANG RHEE with additional Kanji characters Seido Zenko [Correct Path, Good Behaviour] on the left sleeve embroidered with a crowned fist design in yellow, red, white and black, both jacket and trousers labelled TIGERCLAW; the trouser legs trimmed with red, black and white frogging and braid buttons; and a Black Belt, partially covered in red satin, one end embroidered in yellow silk with artist's name ELVIS PRESLEY the other with his registered karate name TIGER and additional Kanji characters [Club Of Degree Holders], labelled PINE TREE, SANG MOO SA..; - and a typescript letter of authenticity from Kang H.Rhee, Karate Instructor to Elvis Presley, stating that this ..custom made uniform that Elvis Presley and I designed together...was kept at my institute for Elvis' convenience, as well as his use, when training in the martial arts and more particularly during demonstrations..., 1p. on PaSaRyu TaeKwonDo Association headed paper; - a copy of the Certificate Elvis received when he qualified to 7th Degree Black Belt on September 9th, 1974. (printed in 1987); - Thirty-one photographs of Elvis Presley, the majority in colour featuring Elvis wearing one of the three outfits that he and Master Rhee designed together - fourteen showing Elvis with his Karate Instructor Kang Rhee, four depicting Presley receiving his 7th Degree Black Belt certificate, majority 10 x 8in. in an album: - three woven patches, each a duplicate of those applied to Presley's Gi/Doe Bouk ;- and a ceramic whiskey decanter modelled as Elvis wearing his custom-made karate Gi/Do Bouk, on a plinth incorporating a musical box playing Love Me Tender, by McCormick Distilling Co., 14½in. high. (hairline crack) (2)

ELVIS PRESLEY A rare custom-made karate Gi/Doe Bouk comprising a jacket and trousers of white canvas, the jacket trimmed with scarlet satin and decorated with three appliquéd patches, one on the front embroidered in yellow and white with the T.C.B. logo [Elvis' trademark: Taking Care Of Business] and the words FAITH, SPIRIT..DISCIPLINE and one on the back embroidered with red and black lettering KANG RHEE with additional Kanji characters Seido Zenko [Correct Path, Good Behaviour] on the left sleeve embroidered with a crowned fist design in yellow, red, white and black, both jacket and trousers labelled TIGERCLAW; the trouser legs trimmed with red, black and white frogging and braid buttons; and a Black Belt, partially covered in red satin, one end embroidered in yellow silk with artist's name ELVIS PRESLEY the other with his registered karate name TIGER and additional Kanji characters [Club Of Degree Holders], labelled PINE TREE, SANG MOO SA..; - and a typescript letter of authenticity from Kang H.Rhee, Karate Instructor to Elvis Presley, stating that this ..custom made uniform that Elvis Presley and I designed together...was kept at my institute for Elvis' convenience, as well as his use, when training in the martial arts and more particularly during demonstrations..., 1p. on PaSaRyu TaeKwonDo Association headed paper; - a copy of the Certificate Elvis received when he qualified to 7th Degree Black Belt on September 9th, 1974. (printed in 1987); - Thirty-one photographs of Elvis Presley, the majority in colour featuring Elvis wearing one of the three outfits that he and Master Rhee designed together - fourteen showing Elvis with his Karate Instructor Kang Rhee, four depicting Presley receiving his 7th Degree Black Belt certificate, majority 10 x 8in. in an album: - three woven patches, each a duplicate of those applied to Presley's Gi/Doe Bouk ; - and a ceramic whiskey decanter modelled as Elvis wearing his custom-made karate Gi/Do Bouk, on a plinth incorporating a musical box playing Love Me Tender, by McCormick Distilling Co., 14½in. high. (hairline crack) (2)

Details

ELVIS PRESLEY A rare custom-made karate Gi/Doe Bouk comprising a jacket and trousers of white canvas, the jacket trimmed with scarlet satin and decorated with three appliquéd patches, one on the front embroidered in yellow and white with the T.C.B. logo [Elvis' trademark: Taking Care Of Business] and the words FAITH, SPIRIT..DISCIPLINE and one on the back embroidered with red and black lettering KANG RHEE with additional Kanji characters Seido Zenko [Correct Path, Good Behaviour] on the left sleeve embroidered with a crowned fist design in yellow, red, white and black, both jacket and trousers labelled TIGERCLAW; the trouser legs trimmed with red, black and white frogging and braid buttons; and a Black Belt, partially covered in red satin, one end embroidered in yellow silk with artist's name ELVIS PRESLEY the other with his registered karate name TIGER and additional Kanji characters [Club Of Degree Holders], labelled PINE TREE, SANG MOO SA..; - and a typescript letter of authenticity from Kang H.Rhee, Karate Instructor to Elvis Presley, stating that this ..custom made uniform that Elvis Presley and I designed together...was kept at my institute for Elvis' convenience, as well as his use, when training in the martial arts and more particularly during demonstrations..., 1p. on PaSaRyu TaeKwonDo Association headed paper; - a copy of the Certificate Elvis received when he qualified to 7th Degree Black Belt on September 9th, 1974. (printed in 1987); - Thirty-one photographs of Elvis Presley, the majority in colour featuring Elvis wearing one of the three outfits that he and Master Rhee designed together - fourteen showing Elvis with his Karate Instructor Kang Rhee, four depicting Presley receiving his 7th Degree Black Belt certificate, majority 10 x 8in. in an album: - three woven patches, each a duplicate of those applied to Presley's Gi/Doe Bouk ;
- and a ceramic whiskey decanter modelled as Elvis wearing his custom-made karate Gi/Do Bouk, on a plinth incorporating a musical box playing Love Me Tender, by McCormick Distilling Co., 14½in. high. (hairline crack) (2)

Lot Essay

This custom-made karate Gi/Doe Bouk is one of three designed by Presley and Master Rhee. One is on display at Graceland, the second is owned by a private European collector.
Elvis developed an interest in karate while stationed in the army in Germany in 1959. He quickly progressed in proficiency and received his black belt in 1960. Three years later he earned his second degree, then skipping the third degree, he earned his fifth (professor of the art), his sixth degree (senior professor); Kang Rhee promoted him for his seventh degree (associate master) in 1974; and finally Ed Parker promoted Presley for his eigth degree (master of the art - the highest level). Elvis frequently integrated karate movements into his stage show and had planned to produce a documentary on the subject however the project never came to fruition. A percentage of the sale proceeds will be donated to the Kang Rhee Foundation, a charitable project devised to train underprivileged children from Lauderdale Courts in Memphis, Tennessee, in the art of karate.

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