Sam's piano from 'Casablanca' on the auction block

By Susan King

Nov. 27, 2012 12 AM PT

The piano on which Sam (Dooley Wilson) played the haunting love song “As Time Goes By” in the 1942 Oscar-winning movie classic “Casablanca” is going on the auction block.

Sothebys in New York will put the iconic instrument up for sale on Dec. 14. The auction house believes the piano could fetch up to $1.2 million. The Japanese collector who is offering the instrument bought it at a 1988 Sotheby’s auction for $154,000.

“Casablanca,” which starred Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman as lovers Rick and Isla, celebrated the 70th anniversary of its New York premiere Monday.

The film won Academy Awards for best film, director (Michael Curtiz) and best writing, screenplay.

Interestingly, Wilson, though a singer, could not play the piano. It was Elliot Carpenter who played the piano with Wilson imitating his hand movements on film.

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