Public sale of Judy Garland ‘Wizard of Oz.’ get dressed in jeopardy as pass judgement on units listening to on possession lawsuit

A foyer card from the movie ‘The Wizard Of Oz.,’ displays a movie nonetheless of a scene wherein American actress Judy Garland (1922 – 1969) (as Dorothy) wipes tears from the eyes of actor Bert Lahr (1895 – 1967) (because the Cowardly Lion), whilst watched by way of Jack Haley (1898 – 1979) (because the Tin Guy) (left), and Ray Bolger (1904 – 1987) (because the Scarecrow), 1939. The movie was once directed by way of Victor Fleming.

Hulton Archive | Moviepix | Getty Photographs

The deliberate public sale of a long-lost get dressed worn by way of Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.” is in jeopardy after a federal pass judgement on on Monday ordered a listening to on why he must now not block the sale pending the end result of a lawsuit over its possession.

The listening to in U.S. District Courtroom in Big apple was once set for Would possibly 23, an afternoon ahead of Bonham’s public sale home is these days scheduled to public sale the get dressed on behalf of The Catholic College of The usa.

Pass judgement on Paul Gardephe’s order scheduling the court docket consultation got here after a attorney for Wisconsin resident Barbara Hartke requested him to forestall the get dressed’s sale till the lawsuit may well be made up our minds.

Hartke, 81, claims in her go well with that the get dressed is the prison belongings of the property of her past due uncle, the Rev. Gilbert Hartke, who based Catholic College’s drama college.

Barbara Hartke, as an inheritor, may well be probably the most other people to inherit the get dressed if she wins the lawsuit.

A blue and white checked gingham get dressed, worn by way of 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 mentioned it’s the “rightful proprietor” of the get dressed that was once given to Hartke in 1973 by way of Academy Award-winning actress Mercedes McCambridge.

The college mentioned that Gilbert Harkte’s vow of poverty as a Roman Catholic priest barred him from accepting items as his non-public belongings.

“Fr. Hartke’s property does now not have a belongings passion in it,” the varsity mentioned in a Would possibly 6 remark.

The blue-and-white gingham get dressed is one in all simply two of what are believed to were six clothes made for Garland to dressed in the vintage “Oz.” movie. Bonham’s has estimated the get dressed may just promote for any place between $800,000 and $1.2 million.

The opposite get dressed was once auctioned in 2015 by way of Bonham’s for greater than $1.5 million.

Gilbert Hartke’s ownership of the get dressed was once widely recognized at Catholic College after McCambridge gave it to him in appreciation for his help to her as she battled alcoholism.

However the get dressed was once lacking for many years till it was once discovered ultimate June in a trash bag above the college mail slots all through a renovation of the varsity’s Hartke Theater.

Amin Al-Sarraf, a attorney for Catholic College, in a remark to CNBC, mentioned he and different attorneys for the varsity later this week will publish prison briefs protecting the public sale.

Al-Sarraf famous that the transient restraining order issued Monday by way of Gardephe barring the public sale for “is most effective efficient till the listening to, so it does now not save you the public sale from going ahead except the Courtroom grants the injunction request at the twenty third..

“We sit up for the chance to give the overpowering proof supporting Catholic College’s possession of the get dressed to the Courtroom subsequent week,” he mentioned.

Barbara Hartke’s attorney and Bonham’s didn’t right away reply to requests for remark.