In brief
Heritage Auctions announced that the famous sequined shoes, known as the “Holy Grail of Hollywood memorabilia,” have a tumultuous history, including theft and recovery by the FBI.
The highly coveted ruby slippers, worn by a teenage Garland as Dorothy in the beloved 1939 film, have become a symbol of American cinema. While the book featured silver slippers, the movie transformed them into dazzling red to highlight Technicolor technology. With only four known pairs surviving today, the auctioning of this particular pair, stolen and recovered after a protracted absence, has drawn significant interest and bids, currently standing at $1.55 million.Back in 2005, these slippers were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota by Terry Jon Martin, who believed their insured value indicated they were covered in real gemstones. After realizing the truth, the path of the slippers remained a mystery until the FBI reclaimed them in 2018. Following the incident, curator John Kelsch expressed a desire to uncover the slippers' lost history while emphasizing their true value as national treasures, rather than mere monetary worth. As excitement builds for the auction, fans of classic cinema and memorabilia collectors alike are watching closely, eager to see where these beloved shoes end up next.
