Hold onto your hats, movie buffs and "Wizard of Oz" fans! A pair of ruby slippers, those iconic Judy Garland shoes, just skipped down the Yellow Brick Road straight into the record books. They sold for a jaw-dropping $28 million at a recent movie memorabilia auction, making them the most expensive piece of entertainment memorabilia ever sold!
You might be thinking, "$28 million for shoes? Are they made of real rubies?" Well, not quite. But their journey is far more captivating than any gem. These ruby slippers, conceptualized by Adrian and brought to life by the Innes Shoe Company, are crafted from red silk faille and adorned with crimson sequins and dainty bows. They're not just footwear; they're a symbol of hope, home, and the magic of cinema.
These particular ruby slippers starred in their own real-life drama back in 2005. Remember that scene where the Wicked Witch tries to snatch them from Dorothy? Well, life imitated art when a real-life villain, Terry Jon Martin, smashed his way into the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and made off with the precious footwear.
For over a decade, the ruby slippers were missing, their whereabouts a mystery. Fans despaired, the FBI investigated, and rumors swirled. It wasn't until 2018 that the ruby slippers, like Dorothy returning from Oz, reappeared, recovered by the FBI in a twist worthy of a Hollywood script.
But the story doesn't end there! The recovered ruby slippers, now back in the possession of their original owner, memorabilia collector Michael Shaw, were put up for auction by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. The auction house initially estimated the shoes would sell for a respectable $3 million, but the magic of "The Wizard of Oz" proved far more potent.
Online bidding opened with a flurry of activity, quickly reaching $1.55 million. Then came the live auction, and the excitement reached fever pitch! Bidders on the phone battled it out for fifteen minutes, the price escalating with each volley. The final hammer price? An astounding $28 million! Adding the buyer's premium, the anonymous new owner will pay a grand total of $32.5 million for these iconic Judy Garland shoes.
To put this into perspective, the previous record for a piece of entertainment memorabilia was held by another legendary garment: the white dress Marilyn Monroe wore in "The Seven Year Itch," which sold for a comparatively paltry $5.52 million. The ruby slippers sale shattered that record, proving that there's truly no place like home...or in the hearts of collectors!
The Wizard of Oz memorabilia auction wasn't a one-shoe show, though. Other Wizard of Oz memorabilia went under the hammer, including the Wicked Witch of the West's hat, which fetched a cool $2.4 million. It seems the enduring popularity of "The Wizard of Oz" and the recent release of the movie "Wicked" have sparked renewed interest in items from this beloved classic.
While the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, the ruby slippers' original home, missed out on their bid to bring the shoes back to Dorothy's hometown, their efforts to raise funds, including a campaign for donations and support from Minnesota lawmakers, demonstrate the powerful connection these shoes have to fans worldwide.
Closing Note
The saga of the ruby slippers, from their on-screen debut in 1939 to their theft, recovery, and record-breaking sale, is proof of the allure of "The Wizard of Oz".
This classic film, with its themes of friendship, courage, and the search for home, continues to resonate with audiences of all ages. The ruby slippers, more than just Judy Garland shoes, embody the magic and wonder of the film, reminding us that with a little bit of heart and a click of our heels, anything is possible.