Casablanca Books, Memorabilia, and Collectibles
Casablanda Memorabilia and Collectibles
Casablanca collectibles and memorabilia over the years have ranged from movie posters, copies of the script, lunch boxes, ornaments, post cars, and prints to set pieces from the movie. Original movie posters, lobby cards, props, and set pieces are highly desired by Casablanca and Hollywood Movie Memorabilia collectors. In December of 1988, Sam's piano from the Paris sequence was sold by Sothersby's for $154,000, just $10,000 under the record for the highest going rate for a sale of movie memorabilia at the time - that honor going to the Ruby Slippers from <The Wizard of Oz. In 1986, the Buick Limited convertible that was used to chauffer Rick, Capt Renaut, and Victor Laszlo to the airport was sold for well over it's $35,000 opening bid. In June of 1995, Christie's of New York auctioned off the 1940 81C Phaeton automobile that was used in the closing scene of Casablanca for $190,000 plus a $30,000 bidder's surcharge.
Interestingly, the originaly ceiling fan from Rick's Cafe Americain still remains on the lot of the Warner Brother's Burbank Studios. Disney also claims to own a piece of the Casablanca legend. Disney purchased a Lockheed Electra 12A airplane from a Textas vendor. The Lockhead plane, whose serial numbers match one used in the film, was shown at the end of the picture. However, the planes authenticity is still questioned by some. For those of you who wish to see the airplane, it is on display as part of the Great Movie Ride at Walt Disney MGM Studios in Orlando Florida.