Last week, the City of New York sold the belongings in musician Joseph Arthur’s van while he was in Mexico. “NYC towed my van and sold it with amps, equipment and so much art in it. I’m gutted,” said the singer-songwriter in a statement. The Midwestern folk rock artist had no knowledge of the event until he came to the US.

During Joseph’s time in Mexico, his touring van (normally parked in a gated lot) was in a repair shop. The repair shop temporarily parked the van to the curb and a NYC Marshal subsequently seized the van for $361.10 in unpaid parking tickets.

The City of New York secretly auctioned the items seized in Joseph Arthur’s van on August 23. The auctioned belongings included musical equipment and paintings with sentimental significance to Joseph. The City of New York is refusing to release any buyer information. Anyone with information on the buyers can help Joseph recover his possessions by contacting Carla Parisi at kidlogicmedia@gmail.com or Peter Wark at peter@dkd.com.

Criminal defense and civil rights attorney Rob Kuby has agreed to represent Joseph Arthur. He will help the artist locate the lost musical equipment and personal artwork. Because the van was secretly auctioned by the City of New York, Joseph has no right to the assets.

Joseph has managed to keep an optimistic demeanor during all of this and has stated: “Lord knows there are more important things in the world than a missing van with some art and ramps in it. There has been a heartening outpour of support, and it has been deeply appreciated… I will rise above this and one day laugh about it. Thank you for your enormous support. It means a lot.”

A photo of the missing van:

Items in van:
• 1970s Fender Twin amp in a blue road case with JAYHAWKS stenciled in white lettering.
• Eden Traveler bass head
• Ampeg 4 X 10 cabinet
• Joseph’s nearly-completed set of hand-drawn tarot cards
• CD recorded for recording live shows, two mics
• CD burners — two towers
• Many large paintings rolled up in canvas

Read more about this story at the Antiquiet.