Rare artifacts up for auction

A trove of artifacts is hitting the auction block, including music scores from the beloved classic “The Wizard of Oz,” a letter by former First Lady Jackie Kennedy and a 1980 holiday card issued by the British royal family and signed by the Queen Mother.

Two printed music scores from the film, “Over the Rainbow” and “If I Only Had a Brain,” are being put up by the family of actor Ray Bolger, who portrayed the Scarecrow in the fictional land of Oz. They’re expected to sell for $12,000-$15,000 and $6,000-$8,000, respectively.

“They’re very rare,” said David Lowenherz, the owner of Lion Heart Autographs, the collectors running this auction. “They are virtually unheard of in any kind of . . . private collection,” he said of the printed scores that were using during the production of the 1939 classic.

The auction, the largest Lion Heart Autographs has held and due to run until Nov. 1, includes other memorabilia.

A holiday card issued by the royal family in 1980 and signed by the Queen Mother shows her standing beside her daughters, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret.

Another item is a 1987 letter by Jackie Kennedy, wife of former President John F. Kennedy, on plans for Pennsylvania Avenue.

The auction also features a letter signed by Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion.