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Consignor sues Sotheby’s over $32,820 consignment payment

On July 13, 2026, Dr. Philip Weintraub, doing business as Blast from the Past Antiques, filed a lawsuit against Sotheby’s alleging breach of contract, negligence, and gross negligence, claiming the auction house owes him $32,820 for four objects consigned to its January 23 Americana sale in New York City. The suit alleges Sotheby’s remitted the net sale proceeds without obtaining payment instructions and wired the funds to a bank account Weintraub never designated. Sotheby’s filed a motion to dismiss on August 3, calling the complaint an attempt to "double dip," stating the misdirected-wire assertion "is an outright lie," and arguing it has paid Weintraub the same way to the same account since 2021 and that his grievance stems from a separate dispute with Bank of America.