An auction house that sells Elvis Presley memorabilia, and also has ties to Priscilla Presley, has come under fire by Graceland executives questioning the authenticity of some of its items.
Joel Weinshanker, a managing partner of Elvis Presley Enterprises, recently expressed his concerns to NBC News over GWS Auctions, the auction house owned by Brigitte Kruse — who is also one of four people named in Priscilla’s lawsuit filed earlier this week alleging financial elder abuse.
Weinshanker told the outlet he first became suspicious of the auction house when he noticed a black grommet jacket, said to be worn by the legendary singer in 1972, listed for sale. However, he claimed the jacket was hanging in Graceland’s private collection.
“We know there was only one made, and guess what? We have it in our archives,” Weinshanker said. NBC News noted that it visited Elvis’ estate in Memphis and saw the jacket and its receipt.
Other memorabilia items being sold by GWS Auctions that Graceland executives are questioning include multiple pieces of Elvis’ jewelry and his private jet, which Elvis’ estate claimed he never actually flew on and only owned for a few months.
Graceland execs said they’re also concerned about some items being sold by GWS Auctions that are accompanied by letters written by Priscilla stating they are authentic. Elvis’ estate said some of the objects would have been owned by the musician after he and Priscilla divorced (they were married from 1967 to 1972).
“If they hadn’t talked for months and months and months in person, how does she [Priscilla] know what Elvis did and didn’t do?” Weinshanker told News News.
The exec also noted that throughout the years, Elvis’ father, Vernon Presley, kept detailed records of all of the singer’s finances.
“Because he had some trouble with the law early on in his adult life, he [Vernon] kept everything, every receipt,” Weinshanker explained. “You come to us and say, ‘What did [Elvis] do on this day in 1962?’ We [Graceland] pretty much know what he did just by how he spent money.”
Kruse previously told NBC News that while she acknowledges the family’s meticulous record-keeping, she finds it hard to believe that every item Elvis owned was documented.
“We weren’t there. None of us were there,” Kruse said in a past interview. “So how can they without a doubt, unequivocally say, ‘We have everything?’ It’s an impossibility.” She added that if Priscilla’s “personal recollections aren’t worth anything, then whose are?”
Kruse allegedly began helping with Priscilla’s finances and acting as her power of attorney after the two developed a close friendship over the years, according to Priscilla’s complaint filed earlier this week. However, they’ve recently been wrapped up in legal battles, including Priscilla’s most recent countersuit after Kruse sued Priscilla last year, accusing her of breach of contract for going back on a deal for a company to exclusively manage her name, image and likeness rights.
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to reps for Graceland, Priscilla and GWS Auctions for additional comments.
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