Academy sues over Oscar sale at Briarbrook Auctions

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is attempting to sue the owner of Joseph C Wright's 1942 Oscar for art direction on the musical My Gal Sal.

The lot was bought a week ago and has since been consigned into an online sale at Nate D Sanders.

Oscar Wright Nate
The Academy is suing over the sale of Wright's 1942 Oscar

Technically Oscars cannot be sold without first being offered to the Academy for the sum of $1, although this clause did not come into effect until 1950.

It therefore looks unlikely that the lawsuit will prove successful, as a number of pre-1950 Oscars have been sold in recent years - including an example from 1939 that was presented to Wuthering Heights cinematographer Gregg Toland.

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