The Wizard of Oz's Cowardly Lion costume set to fetch $3m at auction



Under the hammer: The Cowardly Lion costume from The Wizard of Oz is going up for sale

The Cowardly Lion costume from The Wizard of Oz is expected to fetch up to $3 million when it goes on sale later this month.

Until now the costume, which is made from real lion hide, has been carefully preserved at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

'We can all relate to not having enough courage, and I believe that's why the Cowardly Lion continues to resonate year after year and generation after generation,' said James Comisar a specialist in preserving cultural materials at the Museum.

The original costume had a mask that was molded to the actor, the late Bert Lahr, who wore it in the classic film which starred Judy Garland as Dorothy.

The Cowardly Lion's original make-up did not survive the test of time so Bert's son Herbert Lahr allowed the museum team to mold his face for the closest resemblance.

'This costume was worn when the Cowardly Lion first meets Dorothy on the Yellow Brick Road and sings 'If I only had the Nerve' as well as his trademark, 'If I were King of the Forest',' said Joe Maddalena, who runs the dealership 'Profiles in History' that is organising a large sale of memorabilia called Icons of Hollywood, where the lion costume will be one of the prize lots.

He added: 'It is very special because it was worn in some of the most magical moments of the film.'

Profiles in History's two-day auction will be held on December 15th and 16th at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills.

Other memorabilia up for grabs will include Bela Lugosi's cape from Dracula (expected to fetch $1,500,000 - $2,000,000,) the DeLorean from Back to the Future III ($400,000 - $600,000,) Marilyn Monroe's wedding ring from her marriage to Joe DiMaggio ($300,000 to $500,000) and a Marilyn Monroe nude painting by Earl Moran ($70,000 to $90,000.)



Fan favourite: Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion, Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow, Judy Garland as Dorothy, and Jack Haley as the Tin Woodman in the 1939 classic film







