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Michael Jackson's production company has filed a lawsuit aiming to halt the sale of mementos at an eagerly anticipated auction of the pop star's belongings next month.
An array of treasures from the singer's Neverland Ranch, ranging from his white-jewelled glove to the gates of the ranch, are among more than 2,000 items due to be sold by Julien's Auctions in Hollywood.
But MJJ Productions claimed in a Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit filed on Wednesday that certain "priceless and irreplaceable" items due to go under the hammer on April 22-25 had "extraordinary sentimental value."
The auction house's executive director Martin Nolan said Thursday he was stunned by the lawsuit in a radio interview in Ireland, where items from the upcoming sale are on display.
"MJJ Productions actually hired us to do the auction so we are absolutely floored by it, completely shocked," Nolan told RTE state radio.
The Beverly Hills sale was announced last year, triggering worldwide interest in Jackson and a fresh round of speculation about the singer's financial troubles.
According to the lawsuit, MJJ Productions president Tohme R. Tohme contacted Julien's last July about removing some items from the home for auction, but said they were not to be put up for sale until an inventory with photos was provided to Jackson and Tohme to determine which possessions the entertainer wanted and which he no longer needed.
Nolan said however the auctioneers had worked closely with MJJ Productions ahead of the sale.
"We haven't seen any of the legal documents so we really don't understand what is involved here," Nolan said.
"Our last communication with the management company was on Monday before we left on Tuesday and at that time we returned three of the Rolls-Royces that Michael had asked us to return.
He added: "Last Friday two paintings he had asked us to return, we returned to him. So quite obviously we really don't know where this came from, we are completely shocked, we don't understand it.
"I know we will get it resolved and we are moving forward doing the job we were hired to do," Nolan said.
The 2,000 items due to be sold include awards, photos, clothes, furniture, automobiles and "possessions collected through (Jackson's) legendary career," the suit states.
Among the items are an ornate wrought iron gate from the star's Neverland Ranch, the sprawling California estate which was the alleged crime scene in Jackson's child abuse trial in 2005.
Jackson, who was expected to announce his comeback in London later Thursday, has not lived in the property since.
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