A collection of objects given by the King to his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, resurfaces after years of disappearance.
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of the jewels offered by Elvis Presley to his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, is coming to an end. Lost for decades, the rare collection, belonging to the two men, will be auctioned on August 28 at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in California. Forty-five years after his death, the King still fascinates as much and the biopic on the singer who has just been released maintains the flame.
Coincidence or not, the reappearance of Tom Parker’s collection is timely. We owe this rediscovery to Brigitte Kruse, founder of GWS Auctions (a celebrity-owned asset management firm) who put together the collection. It is more than two hundred objects, including gold rings encrusted with stones, cufflinks, watches and chains. In addition to jewelry, it will be on sale the guitar of Comeback special used by the singer in 1968, estimated by Brigitte Kruse at $1 million. In 2021, a lock of Elvis’ hair sold for $70,000.
The King’s ex-wife Priscilla Presley actively participated in the authentication of objects. “It brings back a lot of memories. We all know that Elvis loved jewelry. But these rings and coins bring joy,” she told Reuters. The 77-year-old ex-wife says she worked on making some of them and recalled her wish to fight against counterfeits. “There are so many products that are not authentic at all and that worries me, she laments. I want to be sure that it will go to someone who will take care of them and love them.