Garland wore several pairs of shoes during filming, but only four pairs are known to have survived.
One pair is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. But this pair up for auction has its own unique history.
Collector Michael Shaw lent the slippers to the Judy Garland Museum in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in 2005, when they were stolen.
Professional thief Terry Jon Martin used a hammer to smash the glass case and snatch the slippers. It was believed that the $1 million insured value was due to the fact that it was covered in real jewels.
But when he took them to the “fence” (and the middleman who sells the stolen goods to cautious buyers), he discovered that they were just glass.
So he gave the shoes to someone else. It wasn’t until 2018 that the FBI recovered the shoes through a sting operation. What happened to them during those 13 years is still unknown.
In 2023, Martin, who was in his 70s and used a wheelchair, pleaded guilty to stealing a wheelchair and was sentenced to prison.
John Kelsey, curator of the Judy Garland Museum, told CBS: “It’s partially closed and we know for sure that Terry John Martin broke into our museum. But we want to know what happened to them after he let them go.” . 2023 news minnesota, external.
“I’m just thinking it’s a real ruby so I can hand it over to the gem fence. What I mean is, the value is not the ruby. The value is an American treasure, a national treasure. It seems absurd to steal it without my knowledge.” .”
