Men's Accessories: These days Elvis Presley is remembered as a man of dubious taste, but before he went Vegas, the King exhibited a rather refined aesthetic sense. Long before the sequined jumpsuits the young rock & roll icon harbored a passion for fine British-made luxury goods. This included Rolls-Royce motorcars as well as lighters from London-based Alfred Dunhill. The firm has now brought out an elegant 18-karat yellow gold Apex lighter based on an example from the Dunhill archives that belonged to Elvis. A limited edition of only 50 pieces is being produced at $13,000 each.
Dunhill lighters have long been prized for their stylish good looks and rugged utility. The London-based firm, which dates back to the 1890s, produced its first lighter, dubbed the Unique, in 1923. Elvis lighter is a slim Rollalite model dating from the 1950s. Pablo Picasso, Noel Coward, Coco Chanel and Frank Sinatra, who also had his tuxedos made the firm, all owned Dunhill lighters as well. Several of these highly-prized items are on display at Dunhills London flagship store Bourdon House, formerly the residence of the Duke of Westminster.
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