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A telegram from General Eisenhower on the eve of VE Day in 1945 and one from General Foch on Armistice Day in 1918 are among the lots at Mealy’s  Christmas sale of rare books, manuscripts and collectibles at the Clyde Court Hotel in Dublin on December 4 and 5 next. Among more than 1,400 items in the auction are rare manuscripts, original stained glass windows by Harry Clarke, watercolours, drawings and a collection of wine.
The Eisenower telegram orders all offensive operations by Allied Expeditionary Force to cease and troops to remain in present positions effective immediately. It was sent from the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force on May 7 and a public announcement was not made until the following day, designated VE Day. The telegram from Marshal Foch sent on Armistice Day 1918 orders a cessation of hostilities later that day. It is addressed to Commander in Chief and was received at 6.10 a.m. at Dublin Wireless. Foch replaced John D.P. French, 1st Earl of Ypres, as Commander of the Allied Forces in the closing stages of the Great War. Effectively dismissed, French was recalled and “promoted” to Commander in Chief Home Forces and, in May 1918, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. It was sent to French, then in Dublin. Each of the telegrams is in a conservation frame and each one is estimated at 3,000-4,000.
There is a Yeats hand coloured poster announcing a 1918 meeting to recover the Lane pictures for Ireland, probably made at the orders of Lady Gregory, who organised the meeting. It is estimated at 5,000-7,000. An original stained glass window, The Visitation, from the Harry Clarke Studio has an estimate of 3,000-4,000. A newly discovered mainly 18th century Irish manuscript with dictionaries of place names and genealogies of Irish families – a rare surviving example of the native Irish Manuscript Book – is estimated at 10,000-15,000 and a signed first edition of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind from 1936 is estimated at 1,000-1,500. (Click on any image to enlarge it).

Telegram from General Eisenhower on the eve of V.E. Day 1945.  UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,800

Telegram from Marshal Foch on Armistice Day 1918.  UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,400

First Edition of Gone With the Wind signed by Margaret Mitchell. UPDATE: THIS MADE 900

Original stained glass window, Harry Clarke Studios: “The Visitation. UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,800

A hand coloured Yeats poster from 1918 about a meeting to recover the Lane pictures for Ireland.  UPDATE: THIS MADE 5,000

An 18th century Gaelic manuscript at Mealy’s sale in Dublin. (Click to enlarge). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

The piano from the film Casablanca.  UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR  $602,500

One of the world’s favourite film props, the piano from the 1942 film Casablanca comes up at Sotheby’s  in New York on December 14.  The romance between Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is movingly established during the famous flashback scene in Paris at La Belle Aurore. The Paris piano on which Sam plays “As Time Goes By” – the key prop in the scene – is estimated at $800,000/1.2 million.

The American Film Institute has ranked Casablanca the most romantic movie of all time and the most quotable. Casablanca won three Oscars in 1943 for Best Picture, Best Writing (Screenplay) and Best Director, with Oscar nominations in five other categories, including Best Score.

UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR  $602,500. It was last auctioned in 1988 when a Japanese collector bought it for $154,000.  Other notable film memorabilia prices include James Bond’s Aston Martin which sold for $4.6 million, Marilyn Monroe’s White Dress which made $5.6 million and Dorothy’s red slippers from The Wizard of Oz which made $612,000.