Members Enter Stage Rite Posted Tuesday at 07:50 PM Members Posted Tuesday at 07:50 PM Image: Josh David Jordan / Heritage Auctions, HA.com With a bit of magic and a whole lot of movie history, Judy Garland’s iconic ruby slippers are clicking their way back into the spotlight—and this time, they’re hoping for a well-deserved no-place-like-home. Heritage Auctions is giving film enthusiasts the chance to bid on one of Hollywood's most beloved relics by December 7, 2024, but the story behind these scarlet shoes is far from simple. Stolen back in 2005 during a daring heist at the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota, these famous slippers left behind nothing but a single red sequin as a clue. It took 13 years and a sting operation by the FBI to recover them, bringing the legendary shoes back into the light in 2018. After their recovery, the slippers—nicknamed “The Traveling Shoes”—took an international tour, and now they’re making one final stop: the auction block. Image: Josh David Jordan / Heritage Auctions, HA.com The treasured footwear has already amassed a bid of $1.15 million, underscoring just how much it dazzles (pun intended) fans. With that, there’s one interested party in particular that stands out: the Judy Garland Museum itself. With the help of a $100,000 grant from Minnesota lawmakers, the museum has been fundraising to bring the slippers back to where they were stolen nearly two decades ago. Image: Josh David Jordan / Heritage Auctions, HA.com And the ruby slippers aren’t the only iconic item up for grabs. Sharing the stage is the Wicked Witch of the West’s hat, famously worn by Margaret Hamilton. The hat, carefully designed by Adrian (the same costume designer behind the ruby slippers), is screen-matched to the unforgettable “Arrival in Munchkinland” scene, where Dorothy meets the Wicked Witch for the first time. Joe Maddalena of Heritage Auctions describes it as the finest example of the witch’s hat known to exist, complete with “M. Hamilton 4461-164” written inside the brim—a small yet meaningful detail for Wizard of Oz aficionados. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wizard of Oz History (@wizardofozhistory) Beyond the slippers and hat, this auction also features other treasured props from The Wizard of Oz, like the screen door from Dorothy's Kansas home, the Cowardly Lion’s gloves worn by Bert Lahr, and Mervyn LeRoy’s copy of the film's script. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wizard of Oz History (@wizardofozhistory) https://mymodernmet.com/ruby-slippers-auction/ https://people.com/ruby-slippers-from-the-wizard-of-oz-up-for-auction-after-being-stolen-8740426 https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-minnesota-96f32011bac9d8b55432079c3f91f9d5 Images: Heritage Auctions, HA.com Quote
.thumb.jpg.9ab177501f17b2df9217ebd2db064ddd.jpg)
.thumb.png.2394cb357616be4a73c7fea9f9c62261.png)
Recommended Posts