Numerous news media are reporting the sad story concerning the Kobe Bryant memorabilia being sold by his mother at auction. I don't know what kind of spat there is between mother and daughter, but apparently there is a rift. In short, Kobe Bryant's mother decided to put his high school uniforms, trophies and other personal items up for auction without apparently ever contacting her son directly. She claims that she contacted his wife, who said she didn't want it, and then stored it at a cost exceeding $70,000 (that's some large storage bin!) An auction house gave Kobe's mother a $450,000 advance on the items for sale, apparently taking the mother's word that the items were abandoned or given to her. The New Jersey based auction house filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Camden for the right to sell the memorabilia in response to Bryant's attorneys sending a letter to the auction house to cancel the auction.
I will admit that I am unfamiliar with all of the details. But if I'm dissecting this case, there is one simple question to ask -- did the auction house ever contact Kobe Bryant to determine the status of what would ostensibly be his property? If not, would wouldn't any prudent and reputable auction house verify the ownership when it seems so simple to perform? An ugly yet interesting case.
I will admit that I am unfamiliar with all of the details. But if I'm dissecting this case, there is one simple question to ask -- did the auction house ever contact Kobe Bryant to determine the status of what would ostensibly be his property? If not, would wouldn't any prudent and reputable auction house verify the ownership when it seems so simple to perform? An ugly yet interesting case.
