For the next 11 days, the public can try to buy what is being offered as a three-inch-long lock of his thick black hair snipped from the slain guerrilla leader’s head. As Che’s admirers and critics this week marked the 40th anniversary of his death, Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries began taking bids on a private collection of artifacts from his 1967 capture and execution in Bolivia.

The items, owned by the man who says he supervised Che’s burial, includes a map used to hunt him down, a set of his final fingerprints and photographs of the iconic rebel dead and alive.

Enough to attract worldwide attention, draw fire from Che supporters and prompt Heritage to tighten security for the Oct. 25 public auction in Dallas.

“I knew there’d be plenty of interest, but I didn’t expect anything like this,” said Tom Slater, director of Heritage’s Americana department.

Heritage Auction Galleries has set a minimum $50,000 bid for the Che Guevara collection. Online bidding continues through 10 p.m. Oct. 24 at www.ha.com. The Che items will be sold in one lot and included in an auction session beginning at 4 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Heritage office, 3500 Maple Ave. in Dallas. Bids will be taken in person, by phone or online.

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Posted: 10|15|07 at 11:08 am. Filed under: Auction News.