File photo of Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca.
New York:
The iconic piano from Hollywood romance "Casablanca", the highlight of more than two dozen collectors' items from the fabled war-time classic, goes on sale at auction in New York in November this year.
"Play it, Sam", says the stunning Ingrid Berman, cajoling Dooley Wilson into singing "As Time Goes By" before a moody Humphrey Bogart storms over to find his ex-lover sitting in his nightclub.
Wilson's character Sam first played the song on the piano for Bogart's character Rick and Bergman's Ilsa when they fell in love in Paris as Nazi troops advanced on the French capital.
The salmon-colored instrument is the star of more than 30 items from the 1942 black and white movie offered for sale on November 24 by Bonhams auction house and Turner Classic Movies.
Also on sale from a private collector's collection are the doors of "Rick's Cafe Americain", Bogart's nightclub where Bergman asks Bogart to help her fugitive Czech resistance leader husband escape to America.
Other lots include passports and transit papers created for the film, a final draft screenplay, signed photographs of the cast and production memos.
"Bonhams is thrilled to represent this remarkable 'Casablanca' collection, certainly one of the most significant film memorabilia collections still in private hands", said Catherine Williamson, Director of Entertainment Memorabilia at Bonhams.
The auction house expects the piano to sell for seven figures.
A second piano briefly featured in the Paris flashback scene of the movie sold for $602,500 at an auction in 2012, below Sotheby's then estimate of $800,000 to $1.2 million.
With Moroccan detail and a hinged lid it was the instrument played by Sam in "Rick's Cafe Americain" in Casablanca.
The sale also features a host of other collector pieces from other films, including a test dress and pinafore designed for Judy Garland for the 1939 production of "The Wizard of Oz."
The items will go on display in preview exhibitions held in Los Angeles from November 6-9 and in New York from November 20-24.
"Casablanca", The Warner Bros. movie, is ranked one of the greatest American films of all time by the American Film Institute and has won three Oscars in 1943 for Best Picture, Best Writing (Screenplay) and Best Director
It is perhaps best known for Bogart's catchphrase to Bergman "Here's lookin' at you, kid".
"Play it, Sam", says the stunning Ingrid Berman, cajoling Dooley Wilson into singing "As Time Goes By" before a moody Humphrey Bogart storms over to find his ex-lover sitting in his nightclub.
Wilson's character Sam first played the song on the piano for Bogart's character Rick and Bergman's Ilsa when they fell in love in Paris as Nazi troops advanced on the French capital.
The salmon-colored instrument is the star of more than 30 items from the 1942 black and white movie offered for sale on November 24 by Bonhams auction house and Turner Classic Movies.
Also on sale from a private collector's collection are the doors of "Rick's Cafe Americain", Bogart's nightclub where Bergman asks Bogart to help her fugitive Czech resistance leader husband escape to America.
Other lots include passports and transit papers created for the film, a final draft screenplay, signed photographs of the cast and production memos.
"Bonhams is thrilled to represent this remarkable 'Casablanca' collection, certainly one of the most significant film memorabilia collections still in private hands", said Catherine Williamson, Director of Entertainment Memorabilia at Bonhams.
The auction house expects the piano to sell for seven figures.
A second piano briefly featured in the Paris flashback scene of the movie sold for $602,500 at an auction in 2012, below Sotheby's then estimate of $800,000 to $1.2 million.
With Moroccan detail and a hinged lid it was the instrument played by Sam in "Rick's Cafe Americain" in Casablanca.
The sale also features a host of other collector pieces from other films, including a test dress and pinafore designed for Judy Garland for the 1939 production of "The Wizard of Oz."
The items will go on display in preview exhibitions held in Los Angeles from November 6-9 and in New York from November 20-24.
"Casablanca", The Warner Bros. movie, is ranked one of the greatest American films of all time by the American Film Institute and has won three Oscars in 1943 for Best Picture, Best Writing (Screenplay) and Best Director
It is perhaps best known for Bogart's catchphrase to Bergman "Here's lookin' at you, kid".
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