THE Cowardly Lion costume from the classic film The Wizard of Oz and the piano from Casablanca have each sold for around £2 million at a New York auction.

The items were among a treasure trove of Hollywood memorabilia sold at auctioneers, Bonhams.

The big cat outfit, which fetched £1.9m has been authenticated as the one Bert Lahr wore in the 1939 film. Its face is a sculpted likeness of the late actor.

The upright Casablanca piano fetched £2.17m. It features in the scene in the classic 1942 film starring Humphrey Bogart where his co-star Ingrid Bergman's character Ilsa says to Sam the pianist (played by Dooley Wilson): "Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By."

A spokesman for the Oz costume owner James Comisar said a secondary costume used in the film sold at auction in recent years for £638,000. He also has a trove of TV memorabilia which he plans to exhibit.