The Ruby Slippers!

“You've always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it yourself.”  Glinda, The Good Witch

The Wizard of Oz (1939), directed by Victor Fleming, remains one of cinema’s most beloved classics, with a timeless story that has captivated audiences for generations. This iconic film, based on L. Frank Baum's novel, tells the tale of Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), a young girl from Kansas swept away to the mystical land of Oz. Accompanied by memorable characters like the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), Tin Man (Jack Haley), and Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), Dorothy embarks on a journey to meet the Wizard and find her way back home. Since its release, The Wizard of Oz has drawn an estimated 1 billion views worldwide, further generating revenues well over $1 Billion through ticket sales, TV broadcasts, and merchandising.

One of the most iconic items from the film is the pair of ruby slippers worn by Garland as Dorothy, which of course gave her magical powers to click her heels and return home to Kansas. These dazzling slippers are now back in the spotlight at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, with online bidding open until December 7.

The current bid (as of November 8th) is already a staggering $812,500 USD!

See Details @ HERITAGE AUCTIONS where many other Wizard of Oz items are also up for bids!

Originally belonging to collector Michael Shaw, the slippers were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and remained missing until the FBI recovered them in 2018. The slippers are one of only four pairs known to survive from the film's production.  Read more details at AP NEWS

The Judy Garland Museum, which raises funds yearly at its Judy Garland Festival, is vying to reclaim the slippers, hoping to add them to its collection with financial support from the state of Minnesota. Alongside the slippers, other memorabilia from The Wizard of Oz—including Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch of the West hat and Dorothy’s Kansas screen door—will also be auctioned, allowing fans a rare opportunity to own a piece of cinematic history.

Learn more about the state-wide effort to reclaim the slippers here: https://judygarlandmuseum.com/ruby-slippers/

This could almost be as fun to see how this auction turns out as the show itself - good luck to all the bidders!

Thanks for Reading