ELVIS OWNED JESUS PICTURE GIFTED TO GLADYS & VERNON WHEN ELVIS WAS 15. FROM HIS MOTHERS BEDROOM

Elvis Owned Jesus Picture

Elvis-When asked in an interview which of the gifts he had given to his parents meant the most to him he answered. "The picture of Jesus ah bought them when ah was 15. Ah was working as a usher at that time and saved up a week's pay to get it for them. It cost me $15 and now it hangs in my parents bedroom."

Jimmy Velvet's words... "While Elvis was working at the Loew’s Theater in Memphis as an usher and he saved his money to buy his Mother and Dad (Gladys & Vernon), the oval framed picture of Jesus that you just bought. Elvis was only 15 years old at the time and if memory serves me correctly, his salary was around .75 cents per hour. Can you imagine?! The framed Jesus picture hung on Gladys and Vernon’s bedroom wall and Elvis said this was his favorite gift to his parents.  Elvis gave the picture to his 1st cousin, Harold Loyd when Harold was working as the Gate Keeper at Graceland."

Harold Loyd's words... "The picture of Christ that Elvis saved his money to buy for his Mother and Dad at the age of 15. From his Mothers bedroom."

Elvis Owned Jesus Picture

Elvis-When asked in an interview which of the gifts he had given to his parents meant the most to him he answered. "The picture of Jesus ah bought them when ah was 15. Ah was working as a usher at that time and saved up a week's pay to get it for them. It cost me $15 and now it hangs in my parents bedroom"

The framed piece measures: 16-3/4 inches wide. 9-5/8 inches high 

ACCOMPANIED BY 3 HAND SIGNED DOCUMENTS 

1. Accompanied by an Elvis Presley Museum letter of authenticity hand signed by Jimmy Velvet who was Elvis' friend of twenty two years and the Founder and original President and CEO of the world famous Elvis Presley Museum all those years ago which reads... 

February 1, 2021

Dear Daniel,

Greetings and I hope this finds you safe and well.  I must say to you, what a great find acquiring the framed Jesus picture that Elvis bought for his parents!  Did you know it was the first item I acquired while preparing to open my first Elvis Presley Museum in Memphis? 

While Elvis was working at the Loew’s Theater in Memphis as an usher and he saved his money to buy his Mother and Dad (Gladys & Vernon), the oval framed picture of Jesus that you just bought. Elvis was only 15 years old at the time and if memory serves me correctly, his salary was around .75 cents per hour. Can you imagine?!

The framed Jesus picture hung on Gladys and Vernon’s bedroom wall and Elvis said this was his favorite gift to his parents.  Elvis gave the picture to his 1st cousin, Harold Loyd when Harold was working as the Gatekeeper at Graceland.

Years later when preparing to open my museum, Harold gave me the framed Jesus picture and I was over the moon. It was the first item I received for my museum and first item to ever go on the wall in the museum, truly a treasured piece and with great provenance too!  On June 1st, 1978 my Elvis Presley Museum opened across the street from Graceland on Highway 51, now known as Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis, Tennessee.

I wish you continued success with your museum and trust that you will stay safe and well during this tumultuous time in our world.

All my best,

(Hand signed) Jimmy 

2. Accompanied by an Elvis Presley Museum letter. Reads in part:

I, Harold Loyd, being a first cousin to Elvis A. Presley and also being Gate keeper at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, do hereby sware to and certify, that the following items for which i have given to my longtime friend and Elvis' long time friend Jimmy Velvet to put in his Elvis Presley Museum were all at one time the personal property of Elvis Presley and that Elvis personally gave them to me.

The picture of Christ that Elvis saved his money to buy for his Mother and Dad at the age of 15. From his Mothers bedroom.

Sworn to Harold Loyd hand signed Harold Loyd

Notary Public signature and seal and stamp. 

3. Accompanied by an Elvis Presley Museum certificate of authenticity hand signed by Jimmy Velvet who was Elvis' friend of twenty two years and the Founder and original President and CEO of the world famous Elvis Presley Museum all those years ago.

ELVIS PRESLEY MUSEUM CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY THIS IS TO CERTIFY that the following item was the personal property of ELVIS PRESLEY.

It is now a part of the world famous Jimmy Velvet collection. This is the largest collection of authentic Elvis Presley items in the world.

This is only one of over twelve hundred items that make up this fantastic collection.

Print of Jesus
Early Gift from Elvis Presley to his Parents

Offered as Lot 98 on June 18, 1994 by Butterfield & Butterfield.

(Hand signed) JIMMY VELVET, PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN

LOEW'S STATE MOVIE THEATER MEMPHIS
Opened 1920   .     Closed 1970  .  Seats 2566   .   Demolished 1972

Elvis worked as a usher at Loew's State movie theater in Memphis, his first job at the age of 15.

Loew's State was built into an older warehouse which actually fronted Second Street. Second Street wasn't a suitable address for such a prestigious theater so Loew's acquired a single storefront on Main Street which aligned with the warehouse/auditorium on 2nd. Unfortunately, there was an alley between the two buildings which the City of Memphis would not allow Loew's to close off. The solution? The storefront was gutted and turned into a lovely half-block-long lobby which ended in a single grand stairway. This stairway rose to a level high enough to allow a bridge over the alley and entered the auditorium at balcony level.  When the theater wasn't at capacity, the sign on the stairs said "downstairs closed" instead of the usual "balcony closed" .

The State had a vaudeville stage and pit. The hall was never renovated during its life and so retained all it's Thomas Lamb "Loew's Adam" decor to the end.  The first organ in the Loew's State was a Moller. It was replaced by a Wurlitzer in the mid-1920's. The two big Loew's theaters in downtown Memphis were under construction at the same time.  The last movie at Loew's State was "WUSA" with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

Loew's Metropolitan is listed in the 1920 Memphis Directories at 152 S. Main.  The name changed to Loew's State in the 1921 Directory and continues up to 1958.  We've not verified beyond 1958.