An auction in Los Angeles saw an unexpected bidding frenzy, with collectors paying astonishing sums for personal items of some of the world's most influential figures.
Among the standout items was a pair of shorts once worn by John F Kennedy, which sold for $9,100 (approximately Rs 7.95 lakh). A hoodie belonging to Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg commanded an even higher price.
John F Kennedy's ivory cotton boxers, complete with a hand-stitched label bearing his nickname 'Jack,' are believed to date back to his time in the US Navy during the 1940s, according to a report in The New York Post.
Mr Kennedy, who commanded the torpedo boat PT-109 in the Solomon Islands during World War II, narrowly escaped death after a collision with a Japanese destroyer. His item was among the highlights of Julien's Auctions' 'Spotlight: History And Technology' sale earlier this week, according to SWNS.
A note on Julien's Auctions' website read, "A pair of ivory cotton snap-fly boxer shorts, previously owned by John F Kennedy. The shorts were issued to Kennedy during his time in the US Navy Reserve, where he famously served as commander of the torpedo boat PT-109 in the Solomon Islands during World War II, and barely escaped death after being rammed by a Japanese destroyer. The shorts exhibit a hand-sewn label embroidered with John's nickname, Jack Kennedy."
While Mr Kennedy's boxers drew attention, a much higher amount was paid for a seemingly ordinary piece of tech-world memorabilia - Mark Zuckerberg's old hoodie.
The black Alternative brand hoodie, worn by the Facebook co-founder on multiple occasions in 2010 - the year he was named Time magazine's Person of the Year - was initially expected to sell for around $1,000 (Rs 87,000). A competitive bidding war drove the final price up to $15,875 (Rs 13.86 lakh).
The buyer also received a handwritten note from Mr Zuckerberg himself, which read, "One of my favourite old-school Facebook hoodies. I wore this all the time in the early days. It even has our original mission statement on the inside lining. Enjoy! - Mark Zuckerberg."
Neither Mr Kennedy's boxers nor Mr Zuckerberg's hoodie could match the price of a signature accessory worn by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. One of Jobs' trademark bow ties - a green Wilkes Bashford design with pink stripes - fetched $35,750 (Rs 31.2 lakh), far exceeding its estimated value of $1,000.
Mr Jobs was reportedly seen wearing the bow tie during two photo shoots for a Macintosh computer launch in 1984, as well as at a conference in Aspen in 1983 and an Apple shareholder meeting the following year.
Memorabilia auctions featuring clothing have long been a source of fascination for collectors. Even members of royalty have had personal garments sold at auction, with Queen Elizabeth II's clothing fetching high bids in recent years.
In 2010, undergarments belonging to disgraced financier Bernie Madoff sold for $1,700. The winning bidder at the time said, "It's a great Christmas gift to people because it's not something they would buy for themselves."
The auction also featured a pair of golf shoes worn by former US President Barack Obama and a set of sunglasses autographed by Bill Clinton, Dan Aykroyd, Al Gore, and Jim Belushi.
