The iconic ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the iconic Wizard of Oz, are to be sold at an auction next month.
After being put up on display in London, these famous slippers are to be sold off in Dallas on December 7, and are expected to sell for up $3 million, nearly 20 years after they were stolen.
There were only four surviving pairs of these slippers which were made for the 1939 film, and have belonged to a collector since 1970. They were kept at the Judy Garland Museum, and kept at the late actress' home town of Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
However, in 2005, these slippers mysteriously disappeared, and were only tracked down in 2018, following FBI involvement and a six-figure reward.
"They were recovered, apparently buried in a Tupperware (box), underground," said Nikki Hale, manager of special projects at Heritage.
The person who stole them, Terry Martin, was given a suspended prison sentence last January, after admitting to taking them, as he thought they had been encrusted with real rubies.
Ahead of the sale, Nikki Hale spoke about the legacy that these slippers carry.
"They are legendary like no other", she said. "The Wizard of Oz really stands the test of time as a cult classic, iconic film that anywhere across the world, people know what The Wizard of Oz is".
"You see them when she's clicking the heels to go home. You see them when she starts her adventure, when she goes down Munchkinlan," Hale added. "They are absolutely the Holy Grail as far as movie memorabilia".
This auction will also include Judy Garland's wings, photographs, film posters, along with other items from wooden board game Jumanji, which starred Robin Williams.
