Never-before-seen footage from JFK assassination up for auction after blood-stained long johns were bought for $1million
The brand-new footage comes almost 61 years after the assassination
EXTRAORDINARY unseen footage of President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade after he was assassinated is set to be auctioned.
An original, previously unknown 8mm color silent film capturing JFK’s motorcade as it traveled through downtown Dallas on November 22, 1963, will be offered by Boston-based RR Auction.
The remarkable footage includes segments of the motorcade before it arrived at Dealey Plaza and, perhaps most strikingly, a post-assassination clip showing the presidential limousine speeding along North Stemmons Freeway en route to Parkland Memorial Hospital.
The footage was shot by Dale Carpenter, Sr., a local truck driver who, after missing his initial opportunity to film the limousine, relocated to North Stemmons Freeway and captured this rare sequence.
RR Auction says, “It offers an unprecedented view of one of America’s most tragic days, providing new material for historians and the public to examine.”
“Unlike any other footage known to exist, this film captures a segment immediately following the Zapruder film, providing a fresh perspective on one of the most analyzed moments in history,” Bobby Livingston, executive vice president at RR Auction, said.
“Once you see it, you’ll never forget Clint Hill’s heroic efforts to protect Mrs. Kennedy, racing at 80 miles an hour in a desperate attempt to save the President’s life as they sped to Parkland.”
The latter part of the film serves as a powerful visual testament to the tragic events that unfolded in Dallas on that fateful day.
Four Dallas Police Department motorcycles, followed by a police car with flashing red strobe lights, escorted the presidential limousine — a modified midnight blue 1961 Lincoln Continental Convertible — down the freeway.
Secret Service Agent Clint Hill, having leaped onto the back of the vehicle, is visible, shielding First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who is draped over her stricken husband.
The iconic pink suit she wore that day is unmistakable.
“While numerous still photographs and films document JFK’s motorcade—most famously the Zapruder film—this newly discovered footage offers a rare and unique perspective, particularly of the immediate aftermath as the motorcade raced to Parkland Hospital,” said RR Auction.
Before this discovery, only three still photographs documented Kennedy’s limousine on North Stemmons Freeway—no moving images were thought to exist.
Estimated at over $100,000, the film will be offered at the Remarkable Rarities auction, beginning with online bidding on September 4, followed by a live auction in Boston on September 28.
The jaw-dropping video is not the only item to go on sale.
PRESIDENTIAL ARTIFACTS
Kennedy’s blood-soaked long johns were being sold on eBay for $1 million last month.
RR Auction statement on John F. Kennedy assassination footage
Never before seen footage of President John F. Kennedy's assassination is set to hit the auction block.
“Unlike any other footage known to exist, this film captures a segment immediately following the Zapruder film, providing a fresh perspective on one of the most analyzed moments in history,” Bobby Livingston, Executive Vice President at RR Auction, said.
“Once you see it, you’ll never forget Clint Hill’s heroic efforts to protect Mrs. Kennedy, racing at 80 miles an hour in a desperate attempt to save the President’s life as they sped to Parkland.”
“While numerous still photographs and films document JFK’s motorcade—most famously the Zapruder film—this newly discovered footage offers a rare and unique perspective, particularly of the immediate aftermath as the motorcade raced to Parkland Hospital,” they added.
The eBay describes the item as “a pair of his personal wool long john underwear.”
Kennedy’s undergarments appeared to have suffered severe wear and tear and even had a hole in them, suggesting that the former president frequently wore them.
“When we bought these over two decades ago, we had made a few pictures of the underwear and then had them stored in a secure vault for nearly twenty years,” said the seller.
“No one told us about the stains, nor did we notice them. Not until now.
“To get a better understanding of what we had discovered, we delved into forensics trying to figure out possible circumstances that would produce this injury,” they continued.
One side of the long johns also featured a few blood stains located on the left leg hole indicating that Kennedy had suffered a wound “on the lower shin area, just above the ankle.”
The seller speculated that the blood had then “spread out around the upper ankle.”
Due to the positioning of the stains and how the second stain seemed wider than the first, the seller alleges that Kennedy was standing while he was bleeding.
ONE OF TWO
The undergarments, which were listed on the popular website on Tuesday, were one of two pairs sold to Richard Wilson, a well-known memorabilia dealer and collector, during Guernsey’s 1998 Kennedy auction.
According to the description, the eventual buyer will also receive a Certificate of Authenticity with their purchase.
Kennedy’s second pair of Duo-fold long johns were in May 2010 for an undisclosed price.
According to the description provided by the site, the underwear had the name “John F. Kennedy” sewn into the collar.
DECLASSIFYING FILES
Kennedy’s assassination has long been a focal point for many conspiracy theorists.
While many believe that Lee Harvey Oswald – who was accused of the crime – acted alone, others believe that several other people acted in tandem with Oswald.
Recently, Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump vowed to establish a new independent presidential commission on assassination attempts.
Headed by Kennedy’s nephew, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Trump vowed to release “all of the remaining documents pertaining to the assassination of John F Kennedy.”
