Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz are being auctioned by Heritage Auctions for over $800,000. The move comes years after they were infamously stolen by a mobster from a museum.
The slippers were taken by ex-mobster Terry Jon Martin from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005 as he was looking to make “one last score,” the Associated Press previously reported.
Martin thought the slippers contained real rubies because they had been previously insured for one million dollars. He was indicted by the Minnesota U.S. District Court and charged with theft of major artwork. The slippers were found 13 years later in 2018 by the FBI, which valued them at $3.5 million.
The auction runs through December 7, with the current bid set at $812,000 and the next minimum amount set to $825,000.
“The Ruby Slippers are a vintage pair of Innes Shoe Co. red silk faille heels with uppers and heels covered with hand-sequined silk georgette, lined in white leather, and the leather soles are painted red with orange felt adhered to the front foundation of each shoe,” the Heritage Auctions description of the slippers reads.
“The bows are made of hand-cut buckram cloth and are slightly different in size. Rhinestones rim the bows, which are filled with bugle beads surrounding three center jewels.”
If they’re valued at $3.5 million, then $800k is a steal! And boy, what an amazing Christmas present that would be. Any wealthy collectors in our midst? You’ve got a month to make your purchase.
via: Variety
