Dorothy’s Ruby Red Slippers Are Up For Auction

The ruby red slippers that were iconically worn by Judy Garland on "The Wizard of Oz", then stolen by a mobster, then found by the FBI thirteen years later, have taken another turn in their trip down the yellow brick road of life: to the auction block.

You already can't afford them.

The Long Yellow Brick Road of the Red Slippers

The saga of the slippers was entertaining enough before the mobster even showed up.

Movie studios used to be really careless about props & costumes from movies. Workers would often take the memorabilia without studio permission...because the studios didn't care.

A fella named Kurt hoarded a huge private collection of movie souvenirs and memorabilia, and even sold some of it off (again, he didn't technically own any of it). He found the stash of slippers that Judy Garland wore and eventually sold them off.

One pair ended up in the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, MN.

They were stolen in late August of 2005.

The FBI announced on September 4, 2018, that they were finally found. An ex-mobster named Terry (Scary Terry? Berry Terry? Come on, no mobster nickname?!) went full-cliché and swiped them looking to make "one last score". Okay, Oceans Terry...

He was charged with theft of major artwork. Awe, he isn't Merry Terry. Get Dairy Terry a glass of milk. Does Harry Terry need a shave? Terry didn't parry that indictment. How very Terry of him. Okay I'm done.

Wizard of Oz Ruby Red Slippers Up For Auction

The auction ends one month from today (11/7/2024), and is already over $800,000. The auction is being led by the man who bought the slippers from Kent the Memorabilia Hoarder in 1970 - Michael Shaw - and Heritage Auctions.

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H/T: Variety / Wikipedia