(AP) Dallas – The president and chief executive of Kentucky Fried Chicken
Japan purchased the trademark white suit worn by company founder "Colonel"
Harland Sanders at auction Saturday for $21,510 — then promptly tried it on.
Masao "Charlie" Watanabe grinned while putting on the suit jacket and black
string tie at the Heritage Auctions event, standing beneath a photograph of
Sanders. He had already planned to attend a company marketing meeting in
Dallas, but arrived early after he found out about the auction, he said.
Watanabe was one of hundreds of in-person, telephone and online bidders
vying for various items, including a gun belt owned by legendary outlaw Jesse
James and leg irons that restrained abolitionist John Brown.
Watanabe also bought a mini-collection of Sanders’ memorabilia — including
his 1973 Kentucky driver’s license — for $1,912.
Sanders is a popular figure in Japan, and most KFC restaurants there have
statues of him in front, Watanabe said. He plans to display the suit at a
restaurant in Tokyo.
A KFC restaurant in Japan
