A diamond and gold ring owned by Elvis Presley didn’t find a buyer last week in Kruse GWS Auctions’ Artifacts of Hollywood and Music auction, which offered nearly 400 lots of costumes, memorabilia, and clothing and other items once personally owned by Prince, the Beach Boys, Marilyn Monroe, and other celebrities as well as coffee heiress Abigail Folger.
“These items have undergone the most stringent, meticulous process to determine authenticity and provenance,” said Brigitte Kruse, founder of Kruse GWS Auctions, in a statement. “Out of thousands of items submitted and rigorously inspected—many of which did not qualify for our auctions because of our high internal standards—this is one of the finest collections we’ve been able to bring together.”
Presley’s 14k gold ring features 1.3 cts. t.w. diamonds and a 0.1 ct. red spinel adorning an incredibly detailed ram’s head—representing the King’s astrological sign, Capricorn—in high relief. It had a presale estimate of $35,000 to $65,000.
Elvis was known to have studied astrology and numerology, making this piece particularly personal. He gifted the ring to his friend and backup singer Shaun Nielsen after Nielsen commented that he liked it. Nielsen sang on Presley’s 1967 gospel album, How Great Thou Art, and in the rock legend’s final show.
“The fact that these celebrities were with us for such a short amount of time adds to the value of their keepsakes,” Kruse said. “For many collectors, this is more than an investment; it’s a way of holding on to someone you admired or cared about.”
(Photo: © Kruse GWS Auctions)
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