The green, 58-key piano from the Paris flashback in Casablanca sold at Sotheby’s in New York on December 14, 2012, for a reported $602,500. It was the La Belle Aurore prop—not the separate piano associated with Rick’s Café that reportedly sold for $2.9 million in 2014.
Which Casablanca piano went to auction?
Sotheby’s offered the green, 58-key upright studio piano seen in the Paris flashback at La Belle Aurore. The catalog identifies it as serial number 253333, with a Richardson’s Inc. maker’s mark and Warner Bros. prop number FNP11990. Sotheby’s catalog entry records the auction in New York on December 14, 2012, and marks bidding closed.
The piano’s scene is part of Rick and Ilsa’s Paris story, rather than the familiar setting of Rick’s Café Américain. That distinction matters because two different Casablanca pianos later appeared in auction coverage.
What did the La Belle Aurore piano sell for?
Sotheby’s published an estimate of $800,000–$1,200,000. New Atlas reported that the piano sold for $602,500, below the estimate’s low end; its report included an update dated December 18, 2012. New Atlas’s sale report gives the reported result. These are figures for this particular 2012 auction, not evidence of a broader trend in film-memorabilia prices.
#1 Best Overall
- Elevate Your Miniature World: Designed with precision at a 1/12 scale, this miniature grand piano acts as a stunning centerpiece for any dollhouse music room. The intricate keyboard detail and elegant proportions ensure it fits seamlessly with standard mini house furniture collections
- Interactive and Realistic Details: Capture the essence of a real performance. Featuring an openable lid and a movable lid prop, this mini piano model allows for dynamic posing and interactive play. It provides a lifelike interior view that brings a touch of sophistication to your miniature displays
- Complete Musical Scene Set: No need to search for matching parts. Each set includes the upright grand piano, a matching stool, and a tiny music sheet. This all-in-one musical accessory helps you create a believable concert environment or a cozy music studio corner within your diorama
- Inspiration for DIY Hobbyists: Ideal for micro-landscape builders and craft enthusiasts, this miniature house accessory sparks endless creativity. Whether you are setting up a Victorian-style room or a modern office scene, its sleek finish and look complement various decorative styles
- Sturdy and Sleek Display: Crafted with a smooth surface, this dollhouse piano ornament is built for longevity on your shelves or desktops. Its compact size and balanced stand make it a dependable choice for collectors who appreciate fine details in their micro house scenes
Was this the piano from Rick’s Café?
No. The La Belle Aurore piano sold in 2012 is distinct from the piano associated with Rick’s Café. UPI reported that the Rick’s Café piano sold at Bonhams in November 2014 for $2.9 million. UPI’s report on the 2014 sale concerns that separate prop, not the green Paris-flashback piano.
| Prop | Scene association | Auction and reported result |
|---|---|---|
| Green, 58-key piano; prop number FNP11990 | La Belle Aurore, Paris flashback | Sotheby’s, December 14, 2012; reported sale price $602,500 |
| Separate piano | Rick’s Café | Bonhams, November 2014; reported sale price $2.9 million by UPI |
Did Dooley Wilson really play the piano?
Wilson, who played Sam, sang “As Time Goes By” and mimed playing. Sotheby’s catalog says pianist Elliot Carpenter played another piano out of sight while Wilson imitated his hand movements. The auctioned La Belle Aurore instrument was therefore a film prop; it was not the piano Carpenter played for the audible performance.
Rank #2
- Realistic Dollhouse Detail: This miniature piano for dollhouse features an upright piano ornament design with a matching stool, giving miniature house furniture scenes a more finished look and helping your display feel closer to a real room setting
- Compact Display size: Measuring 5.11 x 4.05 x 2.16 inches, this mini house furniture set is sized for doll house furniture arrangements, tabletop scenes, and mini house decor, making it easy to place with other dollhouse accessories
- Included Piano and Stool: Each package comes with 1 x Mini Piano Model and 1 x Mini Stool Model, providing a ready-to-use doll furniture set for miniature house furniture layouts, DIY scenes, and doll house ornament collections
- Crafted Miniature Look: the model is made with careful craftsmanship and appropriate proportion, helping the 1/12 piano style fit naturally into miniature doll house accessories, doll props, and setups without looking oversized
- DIY Scene Decorating: Use this miniature piano and stool set for mini house decors, bedroom decor, or other creative micro landscape projects, where it can be matched with dollhouse accessories to show your own styling ideas
Where is the piano now?
The available auction record establishes that bidding ended in 2012, but it does not establish the prop’s current owner, location, display status, or present availability. The sale should be understood as a closed historical auction, not an offer to buy the piano now.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Vintage Piano Set: This mini grand piano includes a matching chair and adds dollhouse furniture detail to music rooms, living areas, and display shelves, making it a useful choice for dollhouse accessories, dollhouse decor, and mini house decoration scenes
- Realistic Mini Look: The miniature piano and chair model is designed with a vintage style, smooth surface, and lifelike shape to bring more detail to miniature dollhouse furniture, mini house accessories, and doll furniture arrangements
- Pp Material Build: Made from pp, this piano toy model offers a lightweight feel and wear and break resistance for repeated display use in miniature house furniture setups, mini furniture for dollhouse collections, and doll house piano scenes
- Display Size Fit: Measuring 6.49 x 4.52 x 3.66 in, this mini furniture piece fits well with miniature house furniture layouts, mini furniture, and miniature doll house accessories while helping create a balanced look in compact dollhouse spaces
- Scene Decoration Use: Place this doll house piano in a music room, study corner, or miniature living room to enhance dollhouse decor and mini house decor, and use it as a photo prop for creating detailed miniature scenes and stylish display setups
Rank #4
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- GRAND PIANO COLOR - 3 Sheet Model with a Moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 2.89 L x 2.44 W x 3.03 H inches. 56 Pieces.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
Rank #3
- 【5-Piece Premium 1:12 Scale Miniature Suite】: Consists of 1 miniature grand piano replica with an adjustable openable lid, 1 matching bench, and 3 miniature fine art wall accents.
- 【Exquisite Display Model with Authenic Detailing】: Features an ultra-smooth finish, timeless classic proportions, and a fully functional piano lid that mirrors a real grand piano. Provides an elite-level realism required by discerning miniature enthusiasts for high-end scene curation.
- 【Ccurated Mini Wall Art Accent Pieces】: Included are 3 meticulously rendered miniature artwork pieces designed to complement the piano suite, elevating the aesthetic depth of your micro-interior design and completing the layout of any study or music salon scene.
- 【Premium Resin Construction & High-Fidelity Craftsmanship】: Engineered using top-tier, high-density resin to ensure exquisite surface texture and permanent dimensional stability for long-term exhibition. Built with precision molding and stable structural frameworks to prevent warping or degradation over time.
- 【Adult Collectible For Professional Diorama Use】: Specially designated for professional adult miniature collectors, architectural modelers, and diorama designers. architectural layouts, and miniature exhibition curation.
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