Ruby Slippers From ‘Wizard of Oz’ Sell for $28 Million at Auction

U.S.|‘Wizard of Oz’ Slippers Sell at Auction for a Record $28 Million

The ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore as Dorothy in the 1939 production of “The Wizard of Oz” were sold for a record-breaking $28 million on Saturday during an auction in the latest turn for one of the most recognizable and storied artifacts in film history.

Heritage Auctions sold the slippers on behalf of a collector, Michael Shaw, who owned them. The slippers are one of only four known surviving pairs worn by Ms. Garland in the movie.

The auction house did not immediately disclose the identity of the buyer.

The final bid of $28 million was the largest sum spent at an auction for a piece of entertainment memorabilia, the auction house said. It exceeded the previous record-holder, Marilyn Monroe’s subway dress from the 1955 film “The Seven Year Itch,” which sold in 2011 for $5.52 million with fees, the auction house said. Including taxes and fees, the slippers sold for $32.5 million.

During the auction, which was peppered with “Wicked” and “Wizard of Oz” references and puns, the auctioneer excitedly held a crouching position — like the Wicked Witch of the West in the story — as he pointed to people around the room, who called out bids in $100,000 increments. At times, a bidder, often on the phone with a client, would elevate the top bid by $800,000 or more, which garnered some stifled “ooohs” and “ahhhs” from attendees.

In addition to being featured in some of the most famous scenes in one of the most popular movies in film history, the slippers have an intriguing story that have added to their lore.

Mr. Shaw had lent the slippers to the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minn., where they were stolen on Aug. 27, 2005. F.B.I. agents set up a sting operation and recovered the slippers in Minneapolis in July 2018. A Minnesota man, Terry Martin, was later indicted and pleaded guilty to the theft.

The authorities believed Mr. Martin was under the impression that the slippers were made with real rubies, which he planned to sell. The rubies, however, were made of glass.

During the film’s production, the costume team made at least four pairs of the slippers for Ms. Garland to wear in case one of the slippers was ruined, according to Rhys Thomas, who wrote “The Ruby Slippers of Oz,” a book about their history.

Although the slippers looked nearly identical, a consultant for the Smithsonian analyzed slight differences in the pairs and determined that the ones that were sold on Saturday were in many of the most famous scenes of the movie.

Large portions of the famous “We’re Off the See the Wizard” song feature Ms. Garland skipping in the bright red, $28 million shoes.

This is a developing story.