Simon Cowell was presented with Frank Sinatra's personal handkerchief on last night's American Idol.

The judge received the monogrammed cloth from Sinatra's daughters Nancy and Tina.

The two were sitting in the audience to hear the Top 5 perform their father's songs with piano accompaniment from Harry Connick Jr.

"I will treasure this always, it's very dear to me," said Cowell, who frequently names the crooner his all-time favourite singer.

"What I liked about Sinatra was he was the king of cool," the panelist added later in the show.