Dude, That’s My Oscar

It would be quite something, wouldn't it? Alongside the comedy trophy engraved with 'World's Greatest Lover' and that bronze medal you received at that glorious sports day back in 1983, you lovingly place a genuine Oscar as shiny as it was the day Orson Welles accepted it for Citizen Kane. Don't laugh - if Welles' daughter, Beatrice, gets her way, that's exactly what could happen. Said Oscar may well go under the hammer in the imminent future, after a court ruled Beatrice the legal owner of the little golden gong, and able to do with it as she sees fit - something the Academy has yet to see the funny side of. Not thrilled with the prospect of their coveted statuettes appearing on ebay, the Academy has, since 1951, insisted that all recipients sign an agreement banning them from selling the award to anyone except the Academy and then only for the sum of one dollar. But, given that the Oscar in question was awarded back in 1942, the new rules don't apply in this case. However, when Welles died in 1985, the Oscar vanished and Beatrice requested a replacement from the Academy, who were happy to oblige providing she signed the standard 'no sell' agreement, which she did. Still with us? Good. Ten years later the original Oscar turned up at an auction house (apparently Welles' cinematographer had been hanging on to it) and Beatrice successfully sued to have the thing returned. Now, since she signed the agreement for the replacement (which she's keeping, incidentally) she doesn't see it as applying to the original, which she plans to sell. The Academy disagrees but the law has sided with Welles. So where does that leave things? Well, the Academy offered her an undisclosed sum, which Beatrice refused, hanging on for the estimated $500,000 to