A pair of ruby red slippers famously worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz has been sold for a staggering $28 million (£22 million) at a U.S.-based auction on Saturday.
These sequined shoes, one of four known surviving pairs used in the iconic film, have long been regarded as a prized piece of Hollywood memorabilia.
Their journey to auction has been filled with intrigue, including a notorious theft and eventual recovery, making their record-breaking sale a significant moment in cinematic history.
Heritage Auctions, the organization behind the sale, had initially estimated the slippers to fetch up to $3 million (£2.35 million).
However, the final bid eclipsed all expectations by an extraordinary $25 million (£20 million). “This is truly the Holy Grail of Hollywood memorabilia,” said a spokesperson for Heritage Auctions.
They further noted that the staggering price tag now makes these slippers the most valuable piece of movie memorabilia ever sold at auction.
The excitement surrounding the auction was palpable, with applause erupting in the Dallas auction room when the winning bid was announced.
The timing of the sale coincided with renewed interest in The Wizard of Oz, spurred by the recent release of Wicked, a prequel film exploring the origins of Oz’s characters.
The enduring allure of Garland’s portrayal of Dorothy Gale continues to captivate audiences nearly a century later.
Judy Garland, only 16 at the time, brought Dorothy to life in The Wizard of Oz, a film that has since been enshrined as a cinematic masterpiece.
In 2023, Variety ranked the musical adaptation second on its inaugural list of the “100 Greatest Movies of All Time.” Based on L.
Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the film took creative liberties, including changing the magical silver slippers from the book to ruby red, a choice designed to showcase the new Technicolor film technology.
The slippers play a pivotal role in both the book and the film, representing Dorothy’s path back home from the magical land of Oz.
In one of the story’s most iconic moments, Dorothy clicks her heels three times, repeating the famous line, “There’s no place like home.”
While multiple pairs of shoes were created for Garland during filming, only four are known to have survived. One pair resides at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, but the pair recently sold has its own storied past.
In 2005, the slippers were stolen while on loan from collector Michael Shaw to the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
Thief Terry Jon Martin smashed the glass case containing the slippers, mistakenly believing their $1 million insured value reflected genuine ruby gemstones.
“He thought they were real rubies,” explained museum curator John Kelsch. “The value isn’t in gemstones. It’s in the cultural significance — an American treasure, a national treasure.”
After realizing the slippers were not covered in actual gems but rather red glass beads, Martin handed them off to an intermediary, or “fence,” who discreetly deals in stolen goods.
For 13 years, the slippers vanished, their whereabouts a mystery. In 2018, the FBI recovered the iconic shoes through a sting operation, but details of their journey during those lost years remain unknown.
Martin, in his 70s and confined to a wheelchair, pleaded guilty to the theft in 2023. He received a sentence of time served, bringing some closure to the case.
“We know definitively that Terry Jon Martin broke into our museum,” said Kelsch. “But the mystery of what happened to the slippers after he let them go still lingers.”
The curator expressed disbelief at the circumstances surrounding the theft.
“To steal something so iconic without understanding its true value—beyond monetary—is baffling,” Kelsch remarked to CBS News Minnesota.
“These shoes are more than an artifact. They’re a piece of our shared cultural heritage.”
The recent sale underscores the lasting legacy of The Wizard of Oz and the timeless appeal of Judy Garland’s performance.
Beyond their monetary value, the ruby slippers represent a connection to an era of Hollywood magic that continues to inspire generations.
With their record-breaking auction, they have cemented their place not only in film history but also as a symbol of enduring cultural significance.
