With a packed saleroom, TV cameras rolling, and hundreds of bidders tuning in via telephone and the Internet, the TCM Presents…There’s No Place Like Hollywood auction at Bonhams New York on November 24 lived up to expectations, selling almost 90% of its lots by value, and fetching $9.1 million in sales.

Highlights from the evening included:

From the classic wartime drama, Casablanca (1942)

•    The iconic piano from Rick’s Café which fetched $3,413,000: The salmon-colored piano on which Dooley Wilson plays, “As Time Goes By”, and in which Humphrey Bogart hides the precious transit papers.

•    The production-made “transit papers,” which sold for $118,750: The document that was as central to the plot as the piano.

•    The exterior doors of Rick’s Café Américain, which realized $115,000: Visible in the first appearance of the café, and through which all of the main characters pass.

•    A mimeographed manuscript of Everyone Comes To Rick’s with the Warner Bros. reader’s report, which fetched $106,250: The manuscript that convinced the studio to produce the movie.

From the Academy Award® winning trilogy, The Lord of the Rings (2001 – 2003) , and presented from the collection of internationally acclaimed actor Sir Christopher Lee and his wife, Lady Lee

•    Aragorn’s sword 'Andúril,' which achieved $437,000, soaring past its high estimate: The sword was specially made by master swordsmith Peter Lyon and was one of only four hero swords made for Viggo Mortensen to use in The Return Of The King.

•    Saruman’s staff, which sold for $125,000, past its high estimate: The staff was the evil wizard’s primary weapon and features heavily in the first two films.

From the beloved classic, The Wizard of Oz (1939)

•    The original Cowardly Lion costume, which realized $3,077,000: Created from a real lion hide and worn by Bert Lahr throughout the film

•    Bert Lahr’s working script from The Wizard of Oz, which realized $75,000: Used by the actor to create his classic character.
 
•    Dorothy’s dress, which sold for $245,000: A blue gingham "test" dress and pinafore worn by Judy Garland as Dorothy during the essential pre-production period, when costumes, hairstyles and all artistic aspects of moviemaking are refined prior to filming.

From the film noir, Gilda (1946)

•    Rita Hayworth’s two-piece costume achieved $161,000, many times above the high estimate: She wore this shimmering costume during her performance in a nightclub in Montevideo.

On the success of the auction, Dr. Catherine Williamson, Director of Entertainment Memorabilia at Bonhams, says, “Our second auction with Turner Classic Movies further proves the appeal of iconic films from both past and present. Key props, costumes, and scripts from films of all eras continue to reach new heights at auction and we were very pleased to present this fantastic selection of memorabilia to fans the world over.”

The next Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia auction will be held in Los Angeles in March 2015. The next TCM & Bonhams auction will be held in the second half of 2015 in New York.