Posted on 12/08/2024 7:04:48 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
A pair of iconic ruby slippers that were worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” and stolen from a museum nearly two decades ago sold for a winning bid of $28 million at auction Saturday.
Heritage Auctions had estimated that they would fetch $3 million or more, but the fast-paced bidding far outpaced that amount within seconds and tripled it within minutes. A few bidders making offers by phone volleyed back and forth for 15 minutes as the price climbed to the final, eye-popping sum.
Including the Dallas-based auction house's fee, the unknown buyer will ultimately pay $32.5 million.
Online bidding, which opened last month, had stood at $1.55 million before live bidding began late Saturday afternoon.
This slippers were on display at the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in 2005 when Terry Jon Martin used a hammer to smash the glass of the museum’s door and display case.
Their whereabouts remained a mystery until the FBI recovered them in 2018. Martin, now 77, who lives near Grand Rapids in northern Minnesota, wasn't publicly exposed as the thief until he was indicted in May 2023. He pleaded guilty in October 2023. He was in a wheelchair and on supplementary oxygen when he was sentenced last January to time served because of his poor health.
His attorney, Dane DeKrey, explained ahead of sentencing that Martin, who had a long history of burglary and receiving stolen property, was attempting to pull off “one last score” after an old associate with connections to the mob told him the shoes had to be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million insured value.
(Excerpt) Read more at channel3000.com ...
Hope a museum was the buyer and they’ll be on display for the public.
I didn’t realize that Judy Garland wore stolen ruby slippers.
Are they sure those were the ones actually worn by Judy?
The legend is the studio had 4 pairs made in case one pair was ruined,
according to Rhys Thomas, author of “The Ruby Slippers of Oz,” a book about their history.
These slippers are indeed iconic and a symbol of OLD Hollywood's greatness, now a thing OF THE PAST.
The new Hollywoke? NO THANKS.
Probably a homosexual.
That was my first thought...it seems to be a “thing” in those circles.
Weren’t they stolen from a dead witch?
Yes, there was more than one pair of the ruby slippers.
One pair was specifically made for close-up scenes, from what I heard.
Holy cow!!!! What i could do with 28 million.....
I know back in the 80’s the Smithsonian had a pair on display.
Yes! She must be the one who stole them back!
The “OLD Hollywood’s greatness” chewed up and spit out Judy Garland. Garland made only a fraction of what those slippers are worth and died impoverished.
So auction houses are fencing stolen goods now?
And an old one at that.
Frankly, they’re down right creepy. I love memorabilia and antiques but these are old and falling apart. Bad vibes just looking at the picture. Isn’t the pic at the original article the same pic as the last time they were auctioned? Thought they were auctioned several years ago.
Exactly......betcha Judy didnt even wear the shoes in
closeups....probably got an extra to spare her the effort.
They were recovered in 2018 and returned to the original owner who had loaned them to the museum in February this year. They were probably being held as evidence.
For that price they had better work.
LOL!
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