As an old-timer who grew up with black and white television sets and remember the days when The Wizard of Oz was a yearly tradition, I must say that the journey of Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers has been quite the rollercoaster ride.
In the classic 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy Gale embarks on an exciting journey, one that leads her along the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City, filled with thrilling escapades along the way. Now, the famous Ruby Slippers that Judy Garland donned as Dorothy are nearing the end of their own extraordinary journey — a trek far more daring than any adventure that Dorothy, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, or Cowardly Lion could have imagined. These slippers are now being auctioned off, marking the culmination of an almost two-decade-long escapade following their theft.
At Heritage Auctions, a set of Ruby Slippers, as seen on-screen by Judy Garland in the iconic MGM musical fantasy film, are being auctioned off. As of now, the highest bid is $1.15 million. Interestingly, this pair is one of only four existing ones, and it holds a unique status even among them. Notably, it’s darker than the others due to its storage away from direct light. However, that’s not the sole factor making them exceptional. In 2005, these slippers were stolen, they don’t form a pair perfectly, and their history has been quite an adventurous tale.
Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.
Let’s go back to the origin of this tale. Following the production of “The Wizard of Oz,” there was uncertainty about where the Ruby Slippers ended up and exactly how many pairs of them remained. In 1970, a total of at least four pairs of Ruby Slippers – three from the movie itself and one test pair – were unearthed by costume designer Kent Warner during an attempt to catalog and auction off MGM’s costumes and props. This auction is renowned in Hollywood lore, featuring numerous items from famous films such as the Cowardly Lion’s costume from “The Wizard of Oz” and even chariots from “Ben Hur.” One pair was sold at auction, with Warner giving the impression that it was the sole surviving pair.
At the auction in 1979, the slippers from The Wizard of Oz were given to the Smithsonian. Interestingly, Warner retained one pair for himself and sold another pair, which was different from those used in the film (the “Arabian” pair), to Debbie Reynolds. He also sold a pair along with Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch of the West hat from the movie to Michael Shaw. However, it was later discovered that the fourth pair worn on screen wasn’t part of the auction lot. Instead, it was found in a private collection, having been won as part of an MGM promotional contest. This revelation surprised everyone who thought the screen-worn pair sold at auction was the only one existing.
During the 1980s, Michael Shaw’s Hollywood on Tour exhibition began touring the country, featuring Shaw’s slippers among other items. Occasionally, these slippers were exhibited at the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. In 2005, they were showcased for ten weeks as part of the annual Judy Garland Festival. However, an intriguing tale unfolded when, after only a week on display, the shoes vanished without a clue. This disappearance became one of Hollywood’s most captivating mysteries (similar to the vanishing Aston Martin DB5 from the James Bond series). The mystery remained unsolved until 2017, when a man contacted the insurance company claiming he knew where the slippers were and could help recover them. In 2018, the FBI retrieved the shoes in a covert operation, with the thief being charged for grand artwork theft. Court records indicated that Terry Martin had stolen the slippers in 2005 because he was told they contained real rubies – a claim later found to be false when it was discovered that the “gems” were actually sequins. After stealing the shoes, Martin realized their true material and discarded them.
There’s no place like home.
The tale doesn’t conclude with the slippers; instead, there’s more to them than meets the eye. It was widely recognized at this juncture that the Ruby Slippers on display at the Smithsonian were unique – not only because they had been worn by Garland in the movie as Dorothy but also due to a peculiarity. The shoes weren’t a perfect pair, as it turns out. Somehow, prior to the 1970 MGM auction, the matched pairs of slippers got separated when Warner took two different pairs home with him and reassembled them. Upon taking the recovered Shaw slippers to the Smithsonian for verification, it was found that the Shaw slippers and those at the Smithsonian didn’t quite match up, or in simpler terms, they were “mismatched twins”. For a captivating account of this discovery, you can delve right into the intriguing details provided by the Smithsonian itself.
Additionally, it’s worth noting another intriguing twist in the tale of the Ruby Slippers, which were initially stolen and later recovered during their authentication process. Interestingly enough, it was discovered that the Shaw slipper, particularly the left one, was used on set for most of The Wizard of Oz movie, and can be clearly seen in various scenes – even during the iconic moment when Dorothy clicks her heels to return home. This coincidence is quite fitting given the lengthy off-screen adventure the slippers underwent to find their way back “home”.
As for the four known pair of Ruby Slippers — and this number does not include the “Arabian” test pair — with the stolen slippers recovered, their locations are now finally known. The Shaw slippers will be on display in London from November 28th through December 5th. The Smithsonian’s pair is on display in the National Museum of American History in the Entertainment Nation exhibition. The pair that Warner kept for himself is now on display at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Museum in Los Angeles. The fourth pair remains in a private collection.
Since they’ve both played significant roles in cinema and pop culture, it’s quite likely that their tales aren’t nearing their final chapter yet.
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2024-11-23 06:10