A famous pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz is now up for sale, nearly 20 years after being stolen.
Online bidding for these iconic shoes is open until December 7, as announced by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. These sparkling slippers have been part of film history since 1939, when Garland wore them as Dorothy in the beloved classic.
The shoes, covered in red sequins and beads, were originally owned by collector Michael Shaw, who loaned them to the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in 2005. That same year, they were stolen when someone smashed a display case at the museum. Their location remained unknown until the FBI found them in 2018. Only four pairs of these special slippers remain, and many hope the museum can bring them back to Minnesota permanently.
The Judy Garland Museum is working hard to raise funds to buy the slippers, adding donations from its annual Judy Garland festival to $100,000 already set aside by Minnesota lawmakers. The person who stole the shoes, Terry Jon Martin, was recently sentenced in January, admitting he was told the slippers held hidden jewels.
Along with the slippers, other rare items from The Wizard of Oz are up for auction, including a hat worn by the Wicked Witch of the West and the screen door from Dorothy’s Kansas home. Fans of the movie, history buffs, and collectors alike are watching eagerly as this bit of Hollywood history goes to the highest bidder.
