The iconic ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the classic film "The Wizard of Oz" are up for auction nearly two decades after they were stolen by a thief who believed they were adorned with real jewels. The online bidding for the sequin-and-bead-bedazzled slippers, loaned to the Judy Garland Museum in 2005 and stolen in 2005, will continue through Dec. 7, according to Heritage Auctions in Dallas.
The slippers were recovered by the FBI in 2018 and have been returned to the original owner, memorabilia collector Michael Shaw. The Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, is among those vying for the slippers, which were one of several pairs worn by Garland during filming. Only four pairs of the iconic ruby slippers are known to exist.
The man responsible for the theft, Terry Jon Martin, was sentenced to time served in January due to poor health. Martin used a hammer to smash the glass of the museum's door and display case in an attempt to steal the shoes, believing they were worth $1 million due to their supposed jewel adornments.
In addition to the ruby slippers, the auction of movie memorabilia includes other items from "The Wizard of Oz," such as a hat worn by Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West and the screen door from Dorothy's Kansas home. Funds raised at the annual Judy Garland festival in Grand Rapids, as well as $100,000 set aside by Minnesota lawmakers, will go towards purchasing the stolen slippers.
Overall, the recovery and upcoming auction of the ruby slippers mark the end of a long and dramatic saga surrounding these iconic pieces of movie history.