In brief
The famed sequined slippers, one of only four remaining pairs from the classic film, surpassed expectations by an astonishing $25 million during bidding that began a month prior, highlighting their legendary status and storied history.
A pair of ruby red slippers worn by actress Judy Garland in the beloved classic film "The Wizard of Oz" has been sold for an eye-popping $28 million (£22 million) at a US auction this past Saturday. This extraordinary pair is one of only four known surviving pairs from the film, which has captivated audiences since its debut in 1939.Bidding for the iconic shoes began online a month ago, with initial estimates by Heritage Auctions predicting a value of around $3 million (£2.35 million) — a figure that turned out to be drastically underestimated by $25 million (£20 million). The auction house referred to these legendary shoes as the "Holy Grail of Hollywood memorabilia," affirming their status as the most expensive movie memorabilia ever auctioned.The winning bid met with an enthusiastic round of applause amid heightened interest in the musical, spurred by the recent release of the prequel, “Wicked.” Garland, who portrayed the character of Dorothy at just 16 years old, helped solidify the film’s legacy, which was ranked second in Variety’s list of the "100 Greatest Movies of All Time." Interestingly, the film’s producers chose to alter the original design of Dorothy’s slippers from the book, which had them silver, to striking red in order to take advantage of the latest Technicolor technology. This decision, along with the now-iconic scene in which Dorothy clicks her heels three times while saying, “There’s no place like home,” has further cemented the slippers’ significance in cinematic history.During filming, several pairs of shoes were used, but only four pairs are known to have survived. One of these pairs is currently on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. However, the pair sold at auction has a particularly tumultuous history. Collector Michael Shaw had loaned the slippers to the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, when they were stolen in 2005. Professional thief Terry Jon Martin smashed the glass case housing the slippers, mistakenly believing they were covered in real rubies due to their insured value of $1 million. After trying to sell the shoes to a “fence,” Martin learned they were actually made of glass and eventually gave them away. In a dramatic twist, the FBI recovered the slippers in a sting operation in 2018, marking the end of 13 years of uncertainty about their fate. In 2023, Martin pleaded guilty to the theft and was sentenced to time served. John Kelsch, curator of the Judy Garland Museum, expressed a longing for closure regarding the slippers’ journey after they were stolen, emphasizing the importance of these shoes as a national treasure rather than mere valuables. With their recent sale, the famed ruby slippers continue to shine brightly in Hollywood's storied history.
