A foyer card from the movie ‘The Wizard Of Oz,’ exhibits a movie nonetheless of a scene through which American actress Judy Garland (1922 – 1969) (as Dorothy) wipes tears from the eyes of actor Bert Lahr (1895 – 1967) (because the Cowardly Lion), whereas watched by Jack Haley (1898 – 1979) (because the Tin Man) (left), and Ray Bolger (1904 – 1987) (because the Scarecrow), 1939. The movie was directed by Victor Fleming.
Hulton Archive | Moviepix | Getty Pictures
The deliberate public sale of a long-lost gown worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” is in jeopardy after a federal choose on Monday ordered a listening to on why he shouldn’t block the sale pending the outcome of a lawsuit over its ownership.
The listening to in U.S. District Court docket in Manhattan was set for Might 23, a day earlier than Bonham’s public sale home is at present scheduled to public sale the gown on behalf of The Catholic College of America.
Choose Paul Gardephe’s order scheduling the courtroom session got here after a lawyer for Wisconsin resident Barbara Hartke requested him to cease the gown’s sale till the lawsuit may very well be determined.
Hartke, 81, claims in her go well with that the gown is the authorized property of the property of her late uncle, the Rev. Gilbert Hartke, who based Catholic College’s drama faculty.
Barbara Hartke, as an inheritor, may very well be one of many individuals to inherit the gown if she wins the lawsuit.
A blue and white checked gingham gown, worn by Judy Garland within the “Wizard of Oz,” hangs on show, Monday, April 25, 2022, at Bonhams in New York.
Katie Vasquez | AP
However the Washington, D.C., college has said it is the “rightful owner” of the gown that was given to Hartke in 1973 by Academy Award-winning actress Mercedes McCambridge.
The college stated that Gilbert Harkte’s vow of poverty as a Roman Catholic priest barred him from accepting items as his private property.
“Fr. Hartke’s property doesn’t have a property curiosity in it,” the college stated in a Might 6 assertion.
The blue-and-white gingham gown is certainly one of simply two of what are believed to have been six attire made for Garland to sporting the basic “Oz” movie. Bonham’s has estimated the gown might promote for wherever between $800,000 and $1.2 million.
The opposite gown was auctioned in 2015 by Bonham’s for more than $1.5 million.
Gilbert Hartke’s possession of the gown was well-known at Catholic College after McCambridge gave it to him in appreciation for his help to her as she battled alcoholism.
However the gown was lacking for many years till it was discovered final June in a trash bag above the school mail slots throughout a renovation of the college’s Hartke Theater.
Amin Al-Sarraf, a lawyer for Catholic College, in an announcement to CNBC, stated he and different legal professionals for the college later this week will submit authorized briefs defending the public sale.
Al-Sarraf famous that the short-term restraining order issued Monday by Gardephe barring the public sale for “is barely efficient till the listening to, so it doesn’t forestall the public sale from going ahead until the Court docket grants the injunction request on the twenty third..
“We stay up for the chance to current the overwhelming proof supporting Catholic College’s possession of the gown to the Court docket subsequent week,” he stated.
Barbara Hartke’s lawyer and Bonham’s didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
