Customers who are worried about the fate of jewelry they had being repaired at now-bankrupt G.M. Pollack & Sons can rest easy, the bankruptcy trustee said Tuesday.

Despite second-notice letters that went out to people warning that any jewelry not picked up by Sept. 10 could be considered abandoned and sold at auction – sparking a flurry of online posts from frantic customers – the trustee said every effort will be made to return each piece of jewelry to its owner.

“I want to get as much back to people as I can,” said Anthony Manhart, an attorney at Preti Flaherty who is overseeing the bankruptcy. He said he is considering an extension to the Sept. 10 deadline, to give customers time to pick up the jewelry.

The only items in question are pieces that were at G.M. Pollack & Sons for repair, he said. At a later stage in the bankruptcy, after priority claims such as taxes and bankruptcy administration costs have been paid, Manhart will set up a claims process for customers who made deposits on jewelry that they never received.

About 300 letters went out to customers, but he noted that some of the items had been at G.M. Pollack & Sons for 10 or 15 years and were likely abandoned,.

“Nothing is going to be sold until I regroup with Keenan Auction (to see how many pieces have been claimed) and decide whether there will be an extension,” Manhart said. “I understand people are away or at different places. I’m trying to be as flexible as I can.”

G.M. Pollack & Sons announced that it was going out of business in July, after 60 years in business.

This story will be updated.


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