New York, US: The City of New York is suing Christie's auction house for the return of architectural drawings dating back to 1860, according to a lawsuit made public on Wednesday.

The historic drawings, done in watercolour, show designs for famous city landmarks such as Central Park, and were created by British architect Jacob Wrey Mold, who was employed by the city between 1860 and 1885.

The drawings were either lost or mistakenly thrown out and found by a man in a Manhattan dumpster sometime in the 1950s, according to the lawsuit filed in New York Supreme Court last month.

The man then passed on the drawings to his son, who approached Christie's this year with the historic treasure.

Christie's declined comment pending litigation.

The city first became aware of the 86 historic renderings when the auction house approached them for an estimate, said Gerald Singleton, a lawyer for the city.

He said the owner of the drawings was cooperating with the city to return the property. "We expect an amicable resolution in this matter," Singleton said.

Once returned, the drawings will likely be housed in the city archives, to serve as a model for future restoration work.