In the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, the academy claims it has the right to buy the historic statuettes for $10 ( 7.34) each.

The academy contends an heir to the film star demanded $500,000 dollars ( 366,850) for one statuette alone in July . . . an offer the academy refused.

Pickford won the Academy Award for best actress in 1930 and was given an honorary Oscar in 1975.

When she died in 1979, they went to her one-time husband, Charles "Buddy" Rogers. When he died the awards went to his second wife, Beverly.

She died in January, leaving the statuettes to her heirs, who are co-executors of her estate.

The lawsuit names three of the heirs, in their roles as coexecutors. It alleges anticipatory breach of contract.

The suit claims that Academy bye-laws dating from 1950 and agreements signed by Oscar winners give the academy the first chance to buy Oscars for $10 if they ever go on the market.

"If the public believes that any multimillionaire can buy an Oscar, then it becomes cheapened, " said David W. Quinto, a lawyer representing the academy. "It becomes an article of commerce rather than a very prestigious award."

Quinto said Pickford was a founder of the Academy and helped approve the Oscar design.

"From the academy's point of view it's just unthinkable that Mary Pickford . . . would ever consent to do anything that would ever cheapen it in the eyes of the public, " he said.

A call to John Shevlin, a lawyer representing Beverly Rogers' estate, was not immediately returned.