Here's sellin' to you, kid: Casablanca piano up for sale

The iconic piano from Hollywood romance "Casablanca" goes on sale at auction in New York in November, the highlight of more than two dozen collectors' items from the fabled war-time classic.

Casablanca
"Play it, Sam," says a 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 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.

All of the lots come from a private collector.

"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. It last sold for $602,500 at auction in 2012, below Sotheby's then estimate of $800,000 to $1.2 million.

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 to 9 and in New York from November 20 to 24.

"Casablanca" is ranked one of the greatest American films of all time by the American Film Institute.

The Warner Bros movie 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."


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AFP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world