FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GWS Auctions Responds to

Allegations Regarding Sales of Elvis Presley Items

July 25, 2024 California    Brigitte Kruse and Priscilla Presley met several years under circumstances unrelated to the sale of Elvis Presley memorabilia at auction. Because of her unique position in the Elvis Presley space, Ms. Kruse was made aware of certain, ultimately unsubstantiated, claims and assertions relative to Elvis Presley's legacy and estate. Ms. Kruse was instrumental in vetting, paying for, and disproving such claims, and her efforts inured to the benefit of Elvis Presley's reputation and estate.

The personal and business disputes involved in the Florida lawsuit commenced against Ms. Presley, and Ms. Presley's recently filed retaliatory lawsuit in California, will be resolved in court. Those disputes, and the litigation, do not involve GWS Auctions, and GWS is not a party in any litigation involving Ms. Presley. GWS has been unfairly maligned, and its reputation harmed, by certain misinformed and overzealous media dragging GWS's name into these controversies. While Ms. Kruse categorically denies any elder financial abuse of Ms. Presley, those allegations do not involve GWS. Ms. Kruse's personal and business relationships with Ms. Presley are separate and distinct from GWS. Ms. Kruse is not an owner of GWS.

Although GWS did receive letters of recollection from Ms. Presley regarding certain lots from the Col. Tom Parker collection, those letters provided additional support and provenance, and GWS believed that they were of historical value to collectors, particularly when combined with supporting materials provided directly from Col. Parker's estate. Ms. Presley's name was associated with the Col. Parker collection and because she was there in real time. While GWS was preparing for the auction of the Col. Parker collection, EPE/Graceland offered to authenticate certain lots for a fee. Because GWS was satisfied with its own due diligence, as well as the strength of the provenance associated with items in the Col. Parker collection, GWS elected not to pay a fee for additional authentication of those items. Additionally, Ms. Presley's name was inscribed on one of the pieces and she maintained a close relationship with Col. Parker up until the time of his passing. Ms. Presley's recollections about these pieces were very clear. Additionally, GWS has access to extensive, and pertinent, records related to Col. Parker and the Col. Parker collection.

NBC recently aired a segment that focused on GWS Auctions and its sale of Elvis Presley memorabilia.  Although denied by NBC, the airing of the segment appears to have been timed to coordinate with a filing by Ms. Presley in litigation involving Ms. Kruse and others, but unrelated to GWS. GWS and Ms. Kruse, cooperated with NBC and gave NBC access to various records (including records of sales, correspondence with Graceland Archives, and provenance). Ms. Kruse also participated in a lengthy interview with NBC reporter Chloe Melas (most of which was not included in the segment that NBC chose to broadcast).

In advance of the interview, NBC inquired about the authenticity and provenance of Elvis-related artifacts sold though GWS, and GWS provided materials supporting the provenance for dozens of items. When the segment aired, no references were made to the documentation provided by GWS. Instead, NBC included comments by Joel Weinshanker and Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., questioning the accuracy of the descriptions for two items previously offered for sale by GWS. NBC failed to note that EPE is a business enterprise and was a competitor of GWS that attempted to promote its own auctions prior to Graceland Auctions ceasing its operations. NBC also failed to note that part of EPE's business model involves the fee-based authentication of Elvis Presley artifacts.

EPE is not the only source of expertise with respect to Elvis Presley memorabilia. While experts can legitimately form different opinions regarding the authenticity of any item in any asset class, GWS stands behind everything that it sells, and categorically denies trafficking in fake or inauthentic items attributed to Elvis Presley, or otherwise. Through innuendo, and without proof, a shadow has been unfairly cast over GWS and its operations after over 15 years of stellar service to its consignors, bidders, and buyers.

GWS Auctions is one of the most respected and reputable names in the Elvis Presley marketplace. GWS stands behind everything that it has sold in the Elvis Presley space, and otherwise, all of which has passed GWS's strict internal qualification standards.

Statement from GWS Auctions Inc.

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Press Contact

Diane Blackman | BRPR

dblackman@brpublicrelations.com