SAN NARCISO — In a press conference this morning, the Port Authority announced plans to hold an auction early next month, to sell the abandoned articles of clothing which have accumulated on the San Narciso Bay Bridge since early spring.

The decision was made in accordance with the authority's policy on lost items, under which items left unclaimed for a period exceeding sixty days are subject to disposal by public auction. The policy applies to items left in any facility under Port Authority jurisdiction including the Bay Bridge, the Ocean Ave Tunnel, and all Metro Line 3 trains and platforms.

Some of the items up for sale in the upcoming auction include:

• One pair of socks, black, size 9300mm/3600mm. Moderate damage, including holes 50-70cm in diameter in heel and toe areas.

• One string of sixteen plastic beads, blue-white in color and 1.1m in diameter each.

• One lace bra, white, band length 55m, cup size 16.9m. Light water damage to end of band and minor tears in lace.

• One women's two-piece swimsuit, top only. Synthetic fabric (lycra/polyester), turquoise-blue gradient pattern. Band length 60m, cup size 18m. Good condition excepting small stains from bird droppings.

• Eight pairs of panties, various colors and materials, sizes ranging 72m to 94m. All in good condition.

• One knee-high boot (left), black leather, size 10200mm/4000mm, shaft height 45m, heel height 8m. Surface weathered from saltwater exposure, inner lining in good condition.

• One bracelet, white plastic, 3.5m diameter, cracked.

Among the items set to be auctioned the single black leather boot has been on the bridge longest, being part of a pair that was left hanging from the suspension bridge's support cables in early March. Neither boot has been moved since then, but only the left boot is to be auctioned. The right boot has become home to a nesting population of reef egrets, an endangered species. City ordinances on wildlife conservation prohibit the disturbance of their habitat.

The most recent articles are the eight pairs of women's underwear that appeared one after another in late May and early June and remained with no owner coming forward to claim them, leading to speculation about organized pranks, sorority hazing rituals, or a copycat fad. Officials at the press conference declined to comment on any of these theories, although they did acknowledge that it was unusual for so many large articles of clothing to be left unclaimed. “It's not unheard of for someone to go swimming in the bay, leave a towel out to dry, and then forget to take it when they leave. But in these cases the owner usually remembers to claim the item within a few days,” explained Fernanda Ochoa, a Port Authority spokeswoman. “Items of this size in this location aren't exactly easy to miss,” she added.

The hosting auctioneer under contract, Maas Associates, is expected to make a detailed announcement of the auction catalog and schedule early next week.

Port Authority representatives stressed that removal and transport of each auctioned item would be at the expense of the winning bidder.