NEW YORK (AP) – The Cowardly Lion costume from the classic film The Wizard of Oz and the piano from the movie Casablanca each sold for over US$3 million at a New York City auction.
They were among Hollywood memorabilia offered at Bonhams on Monday.
The big cat outfit, which went for just over $3 million, had been authenticated as the one Bert Lahr wore in the 1939 film. Its face is a sculpted likeness of the late actor.
A spokesman for costume owner James Comisar says a secondary costume used in the film sold at auction in recent years for close to $1 million.
Comisar has a trove of TV memorabilia from shows including I Love Lucy and Lost. He has said he plans to use money from the Cowardly Lion costume sale to exhibit his collection.
The upright Casablanca piano fetched $3.4 million.
