A theft, a decade-long disappearance and an auction fetching $32.5 million—this famous Wizard of Oz item has seen it all
This Historic Wizard of Oz Keepsake Was Just Auctioned Off for $32.5 Million!
Updated on Dec. 09, 2024
There’s no place like home … watching The Wizard of Oz. As one of the most-watched films in history, this 1939 classic continues to captivate audiences. Its timeless story and unforgettable characters have inspired countless rewatches, Halloween costumes and not one but two Broadway musicals. After all, who could resist Dorothy, Toto and their magical journey through the land of Oz? With the musical prequel Wicked out in theaters, there’s never been a better time to revisit the beloved classic.
It’s also the perfect time to auction off classic The Wizard of Oz memorabilia. One iconic item recently made history, fetching an unbelievable $32.5 million and officially becoming the most valuable piece of movie memorabilia ever sold at auction. Curious about this unique piece of film history? Read on to learn all about the sale that has left movie fans spellbound.
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Which Wizard of Oz item was auctioned off?
On Saturday, Nov. 7, Heritage Auctions auctioned off the most famous piece of memorabilia from the film, the ruby slippers that kicked off the feud between Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of the West.
According to Heritage Auctions, the ruby slippers are the “cross-matched sister shoes to the pair at the Smithsonian Institution.” The media company MGM had the film’s chief costume designer, Gilbert Adrian, create the iconic pair using commercial pump-style shoes decorated with dye, paint, sequins, bows and beads.
And for those who don’t know the story, these sparkly red shoes have had quite an adventure of their own. Originally bought by collector Michael Shaw in 1970, these one-of-a-kind shoes were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. They disappeared for over a decade before the FBI recovered them in 2018 (more on that below).
The Heritage Auctions website describes them as being “a vintage pair of Innes Shoe Co. red silk faille heels with uppers and heels covered with hand-sequined silk georgette, lined in white leather, and the leather soles are painted red with orange felt adhered to the front foundation of each shoe.”
How much were the slippers auctioned off for?
According to the Associated Press, the winning bid for this iconic piece came in at a staggering $28 million—plus an additional $4.5 million in fees paid to the Dallas-based auction house. That’s a $32.5 million purchase in total.
“There is simply no comparison between Judy Garland’s ruby slippers and any other piece of Hollywood memorabilia,” Joe Maddalena, the executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, said in a press release. “The breathtaking result reflects just how important movies and movie memorabilia are to our culture and to collectors.
What’s even more shocking? Live bidding for the ruby slippers started at just $1.55 million, with the auction house estimating the shoes would go for $3 million or more. Safe to say, the final sale price blew those expectations out of the water.
Who won the bid?
Along with the winner, all bidders vying for the Wizard of Oz ruby slippers are unknown. Also a mystery: whether the winning bidder ever plans to out themselves as the owner of this iconic piece of Hollywood history.
Why was this pair of slippers particularly famous?
The ruby slippers that a lucky buyer spent boatloads of money on this year are undoubtedly the most famous, thanks to the notorious ruby-slipper theft. That’s right: Judy Garland’s famous ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz were stolen by ex-mobster Terry Jon Martin, who hoped they’d be his “last big score.”
Martin believed the slippers featured actual rubies after learning they had been insured for $1 million dollars. However, after learning that the gems were actually glass beads and sequins, Martin gave the slippers to his associates. In 2018, the FBI was able to track down the slippers in Minneapolis while investigating a scheme to defraud the Markel Corp., the owner of the legendary Wizard of Oz shoes. After recovery, their value had soared to an incredible $3.5 million.
What’s more, a second man, Jerry Hal Saliterman, was charged in March 2024 in connection with the infamous theft. He faces charges of stealing major artwork and witness tampering. According to the indictment, between August 2005 and July 2018, he allegedly “received, concealed and disposed of an object of cultural heritage”—specifically, “an authentic pair of ruby slippers.” The indictment adds that along with knowing the ruby slippers were stolen, Saliterman threatened to release a sex tape of a woman and “take her down with him” if she told authorities what she knew.
How many pairs of slippers were made for The Wizard of Oz, and where are they now?
Multiple pairs of ruby slippers were created for The Wizard of Oz, though the exact number remains a Hollywood mystery. Including the pair that was just sold at auction, five known pairs have survived, each with its own story. Here’s where you can find three of them:
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History: One pair of ruby slippers was anonymously donated in 1979 and is now on display, enchanting visitors in Washington, D.C.
- Academy Museum of Motion Pictures: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio and director Steven Spielberg teamed up to secure a pair for donation to the Los Angeles–based museum. Fans have dubbed them the “witch’s shoes,” as many believe they’re the pair that were shown on the feet of the Wicked Witch of the East and used for close-ups of Garland’s feet.
- Private owner: The late actress Debbie Reynolds was once the holder of the “Arabian test pair,” but she sold them at an auction to a private buyer in 2011 for $510,000. She also sold Garland’s blue Dorothy dress for $690,000.
What movie memorabilia has sold for almost as much as The Wizard of Oz slippers?
Nothing has come close! But that doesn’t mean other memorabilia fetches pennies. Another legendary piece of movie memorabilia that sold for an eye-popping price at auction is the iconic Maltese Falcon.
A statue from the 1941 classic The Maltese Falcon, this treasure sold for an impressive $4.08 million at a Bonhams auction in New York on Nov. 13, 2013. Widely regarded as one of the most valuable and recognizable props in cinematic history, the statue is a true gem for any film buff.
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Sources:
- Heritage Auctions: “Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers From ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Sell for $32.5 Million at Heritage Auctions to Become World’s Most Valuable Movie Memorabilia”
- AP News: “Stolen ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ are auctioned for $28 million”
- Heritage Auctions: “The Wizard of Oz (MGM, 1939), Judy Garland ‘Dorothy Gale’ Screen Matched Ruby Slippers”
- U.S. Department of Justice: “FBI Recovers Stolen Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz”
- Deadline: “Reason for Theft of Judy Garland’s Ruby Red Slippers Finally Revealed in Court Documents”
- Today: “DiCaprio, Spielberg help donate ‘Oz’s’ ruby slippers to museum”
- Smithsonian Magazine: “Someone Stole Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers in 2005. Now, a Minnesota Man Has Been Charged”
- The New York Times: “2nd Man Charged in Theft of Judy Garland’s Ruby Slippers”
- AP News: “Reformed mobster went after ‘one last score’ when he stole Judy Garland’s ruby slippers from ‘Oz’”
- AP News: “A second man is charged in connection with 2005 theft of ruby slippers worn in ‘The Wizard of Oz’”
- Vanity Fair: “The Mystery of the Maltese Falcon, One of the Most Valuable Movie Props in History”
