In a captivating turn of events, the famed and rare Ruby Slippers from the beloved classic film “The Wizard of Oz” are up for auction, with the current bid reaching a staggering $812,500. Worn on-screen by the legendary Judy Garland, these iconic shoes have captured the hearts of movie enthusiasts and collectors alike.
Heritage Auctions is holding the auction until December 7th, with the expectation that the winning bid will surpass the $1 million mark. The slippers’ journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, with a fascinating post-movie history that includes a daring theft and a remarkable recovery.
A man named Michael Shaw acquired the slippers after the studio sold off a trove of MGM items at the legendary MGM Auction in 1970. From the 1980s onward, Shaw proudly displayed the Ruby Slippers around the country, including at the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
Tragically, the museum’s theft of the slippers in 2005 sparked a nationwide search. Only in 2018, after receiving a tip, did the FBI finally recover the shoes, taken by an “aging, reformed mobster” named Terry Jon Martin. Martin, who mistakenly believed the shoes were covered in real jewels, was later indicted and pleaded guilty to a charge of theft of major artwork.
Not only are these iconic shoes up for auction, but there are other Oz-related items as well. Also on the block is one of the pointed hats worn in the film by Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West, known as the “Flying Hat.” The film’s tornado scene features this hat, which has a starting bid of $100,000. As the auction continues, movie enthusiasts and collectors alike eagerly await the outcome, eager to witness the next chapter in the captivating journey of the Ruby Slippers.