Judy Garland’s iconic ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz have made history, selling for a staggering $32.5 million at auction, setting a new record for Hollywood memorabilia. The slippers, one of only four surviving pairs made for the 1939 film, were sold at Sotheby’s on Saturday, attracting intense interest due to their legendary status and glittering red sequins. The winning bidder has chosen to remain anonymous.
These slippers had a tumultuous history, having been stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. After a decade-long disappearance, they were recovered in 2018 through an FBI undercover operation.
This sale shattered the previous record for Hollywood memorabilia, which was set by Marilyn Monroe’s famous Seven Year Itch dress, sold for $4.6 million in 2011. Now, with the slippers fetching $32.5 million, they’ve taken their place as one of the most valuable pieces of film history. While one pair resides in the Smithsonian, the others, including the pair sold, remain in private collections.
