The auctioned Oscar was won by Joseph Wright, art director of 1942 film My Gal Sal. Images: AP
Los Angeles:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization that hosts the Academy Awards, has sued an auction services company over the recent auction of a 1942 Oscar awarded to the art director of My Gal Sal and is seeking to buy back the statuette for $10.
The Academy has filed the lawsuit on July 1 in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Rhode Island-based Briarbrook Auction Services. (Pics: The story behind the statuette)
Briarbrook sold the Oscar for $79,200 on June 24. My Gal Sal starred Rita Hayworth, and the art direction award to Joseph Wright was its only Academy Award win.
The academy adopted a rule in 1951 prohibiting winners or their heirs from selling Oscars. It is seeking an order requiring Briarbrook to sell it the Oscar for $10 in accordance with the academy bylaws.
Briarbrook owner Nanci Thompson said she has not seen the lawsuit. But she noted that Mr Wright's Oscar predated the academy's sales prohibition and said her company was careful before offering it for sale.
The lawsuit does not identify who purchased the statuette.
The Academy has filed the lawsuit on July 1 in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Rhode Island-based Briarbrook Auction Services. (Pics: The story behind the statuette)
Briarbrook sold the Oscar for $79,200 on June 24. My Gal Sal starred Rita Hayworth, and the art direction award to Joseph Wright was its only Academy Award win.
The academy adopted a rule in 1951 prohibiting winners or their heirs from selling Oscars. It is seeking an order requiring Briarbrook to sell it the Oscar for $10 in accordance with the academy bylaws.
Briarbrook owner Nanci Thompson said she has not seen the lawsuit. But she noted that Mr Wright's Oscar predated the academy's sales prohibition and said her company was careful before offering it for sale.
The lawsuit does not identify who purchased the statuette.
