These kicks have come a long way: first they were seen in the film, then stolen and now auctioned off.
A pair of ruby red slippers from the classic film “The Wizard of Oz” were sold at an auction in the USA for 28 million US dollars (approximately 26,490,800 euros).
Dorothy Gayle’s red shoes
The famous shoes were sold on December 7th through the American auction house Heritage Auctions. Judy Garland, who played Dorothy Gayle in the 1939 film, wore these sequined pumps on camera. According to the BBC, the shoes are one of four surviving pairs that still exist from the film.
The red pumps appear in this scene:
Record-breaking sales amount
The Wizard of Oz slippers even set a record. According to the auctioneer, no piece of movie memorabilia has ever sold for so much money. Finally, a white dress took first place. Marilyn Monroe wore this in “The 7 Year Itch” while she stood on a subway grate and a gust of wind lifted her skirt. The famous robe was auctioned for 5.52 million US dollars (equivalent to 5,220,816 euros).
The red slippers have already been stolen
The distinctive kicks seemed to be so sought after that they were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota in 2005. The thief used a hammer to smash the glass display case in which the shoes were standing and stole them. He allegedly thought the footwear was studded with real gemstones. But nothing happened: After the perpetrator learned that the supposed rubies were only made of glass, he tried to get rid of them. 13 years later, the FBI found her again thanks to an anonymous tip. In 2023, the thief, who was already in his 70s at the time, pleaded guilty. But his poor health prevented him from going to prison.
In the film, Dorothy Gayle has to click the heels of the red slippers together three times and think, “There’s nowhere like home,” in order to get back home. “The Wizard of Oz” was one of the first films to be produced in Technicolor.