One of the country’s leading art houses has been forced into an embarrassing auction U-turn on an upcoming sale of items from Amy Winehouse‘s archives after a row broke out about their ownership.
Items from Amy Winehouse’s archives – including handwritten lyrics and a personalised bowling shirt – are being auctioned by Sotheby’s, as part of its inaugural popular culture auction later this month.
Winehouse’s items are being brought to auction by singer Tyler James, who was one of her best friends.
After online bidding began on Thursday 29 August, the auctioneers received a letter from the late singer’s estate questioning the personal items and asking to establish ownership of the items before sale.
Following the letter the items are no longer available to view on the auction website.
Amy’s personalised bowling shirt was set to be sold in the Sotheby’s auction
Amy pictured wearing the bowling shirt on a night out in Camden on July 19, 2008
A page of lyrics handwritten by Amy was also set to be auctioned off
Mitch Winehouse attends the opening of the Amy Winehouse exhibition at The Design Museum on November 24, 2021 in London
A source close to the Estate told the Mail on Sunday: ‘Mitch acts for the Estate and is this is due diligence. All they have consistently asked for is to establish ownership of the items being sold in auctions.
‘As it happens, the judge has now ordered Naomi and Catriona to provide more information about how 156 items came into their possession, so it is right and proper to ask these questions.
‘If these people can establish their ownership, that’s fine. If not, the family would like Amy’s possessions back and any funds gained will go directly to the Amy Winehouse Foundation.’
The red bowling shirt was spotted being worn by Winehouse after a night out in Camden in 2008, and it is embroidered with ‘Amy Civil’, referencing her 2007 – 2009 marriage to Blake Fielder-Civil.
Also being sold is a five-page manuscript, written in black ballpoint ink on white lined notebook paper – it features doodles of hearts, and a doodle of a pin-up girl.
Ahead of the sale, Tyler said: ‘Sharing these items with Amy’s fans is the start of a new journey for me and a new chapter of my life in wanting to help others and give something back.
‘I know in my heart Amy would wholeheartedly support it.’
This is not the first auction dispute involving the Winehouse Estate.
The estate of Amy Winehouse is suing Amy’s former stylist Naomi Parry and Catriona Gourlay for more than £730,000 over claims they profited from selling her personal property.
Mitch Winehouse, acting as administrator of his daughter’s estate, alleges the two women, who oppose the claim, sent ‘various items of personal property owned by Amy during her lifetime’ to auctions in 2021 and last year.
Amy Winehouse and her dad Mitch during the Q Awards in London in 2006
The items were being auctioned off by Winehouse’s friend Tyler James (pictured in 2012)
Amy performing at the Glastonbury music festival on June 22, 2007
Last month the High Court was told there is evidence of ‘suspicious circumstances’.
Tyler and Amy first met aged 12 at Sylvia Young Theatre School and were friends until the music icon’s death aged 27 in July 2011.
But his book My Amy: The Life We Shared, reportedly upset Winehouse’s parents, Mitch, 73, and his 70-year-old ex-wife Janis.
Amy’s parents were allegedly upset by Tyler’s reference to Amy being on anti-depressants from the age of 14, as well as a section where Tyler describes Mitch, a taxi driver turned jazz vocalist, as having been ‘upset’ when Amy duetted with iconic crooner Tony Bennett.
A spokesman for the Winehouses said at the time: ‘Amy’s parents are disappointed that Tyler has gone ahead with this book without consulting them, and dispute many of his claims.’
Tyler competed on the first season of The Voice UK in 2012, finishing joint runner-up to competition winner Leanne Mitchell.
In a previous interview, Tyler revealed he felt fame ‘f***** Amy up’ and that he had had ‘a job’ in trying to make her well, which was ‘all I wanted to do’.
The sale had been revealed to great fanfare this week. Katherine Schofield, head of popular culture at the auction house, had said she was ‘honoured to feature two British female trailblazers in our inaugural popular culture sale’.
A spokesperson for the Amy Winehouse Estate declined to comment. Sothebys was not available for comment.
