Graceland executives are disputing the authenticity of several pieces of Elvis Presley memorabilia sold by an auction house that is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with the singer’s ex-wife, Priscilla Presley.
Joel Weinshanker, a managing partner of Elvis Presley Enterprises, told NBC News that his suspicions were triggered when he noticed a black grommet jacket that purportedly belonged to Elvis being auctioned off by California-based company GWS Auctions.
“We know there was only one made, and guess what? We have it in our archives,” Weinshanker said of the jacket. NBC News visited the archives at Graceland, where they were shown Elvis’ original black grommet jacket and the receipt for its purchase.
GWS Auctions has become known for auctioning Elvis memorabilia, and its owner, Brigitte Kruse, even formed a close relationship with Priscilla Presley before their relationship turned contentious.
Weinshanker contends that the jacket is not the only suspicious item being auctioned off by Kruse and GWS. There is Elvis’ infamous “lost jet,” a gold chain, and a pair of cufflinks which Weinshanker does not believe are legitimate because he does not have the receipts for them.
Weinshanker claims that because Elvis’ father, Vernon, compulsively kept all of his son’s purchase receipts, it’s remarkably easy to authenticate the singer’s activities and purchases throughout the years.
“Because he had some trouble with the law early on in his adult life, he [Vernon] kept everything, every receipt,” he explained. “You come to us and say, ‘What did [Elvis] do on this day in 1962?’ We pretty much know what he did just by how he spent money.”
Some of the items come with a letter from Priscilla certifying their authenticity, but several pieces would have been owned by Elvis after the couple separated in 1972.
“If they hadn’t talked for months and months and months in person, how does she know what Elvis did and didn’t do?” Weinshanker asked Priscilla.
Kruse acknowledged the diligent record keeping to NBC News , but disputed that every single possession of Elvis’ was properly cataloged. “We weren’t there. None of us were there,” Kruse said. “So how can they without a doubt, unequivocally say, ‘We have everything?’ It’s an impossibility…If [Priscilla’s] personal recollections aren’t worth anything, then whose are?”
Kruse fostered a close relationship with Priscilla, even bringing her to Florida to introduce the sale of a jet purportedly redesigned by Elvis. (That claim was contended after its sale.) After growing the relationship for several years, Kruse moved in and began helping Priscilla with her finances and acting as her power of attorney.
Last year, Kruse sued Priscilla for allegedly backing out of a contract which would have allowed Kruse complete control of her name, image, and likeness rights. On July 18, Priscilla filed a countersuit which accused Kruse and three others of conning $1 million from her in an act of “elder abuse.”
Graceland and Priscilla Presley did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Men’s Journal .
GWS Auctions released their own statement refuting the allegations. “The suit filed is a retaliatory lawsuit due to the one filed by Priscilla’s business partners last year. We are confident that the facts will speak for themselves and justice will prevail," the statement said. "We will continue to focus on our business and look forward to our day in court. There will be no further comment at this time as we respect the judicial process.”
Graceland has been embroiled in financial controversies of late. In May Naussany Investments and Private Lending attempted to foreclose on Graceland and take possession of the famed estate. The company claimed that it had provided a loan to Lisa Marie Presley, who passed away in January 2023, that she then defaulted on. A judge halted the sale after deeming the foreclosure attempt fraudulent.
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