Bidding for this lot will end on Wednesday, August 26th. The auction will begin at 9:30 AM (PDT) / 12:30 PM (EDT) / 5:30 PM (GMT) and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Thursday, August 27th or Friday, August 28th or Saturday, August 29th.
A replica pair of Dorothy Gale's (Judy Garland) ruby slippers from Victor Fleming's The Wizard of Oz created by Western Costume Company. In 1989, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the film, Western Costume Company created the first (and then only) officially authorized reproductions of Dorothy's iconic ruby slippers.
While no records of the original slippers exist to either validate or disprove it, Western Costume Company claims to have created the original ruby slippers for the 1939 film. In creating these replicas, Western used Garland's original foot molds to make the leather slippers, then meticulously applied sequins to replicate the appearance of originals. Western planned to produce 500 pairs to sell at a price of $5,000 each, but ultimately, only 16 pairs were ever sold, making these slippers incredibly rare and highly sought after amongst collectors.
Among the best-known and most acclaimed films in the history of cinema, The Wizard of Oz continues to beguile audiences worldwide as a regular presence in repertory screenings, TV reruns, and most recently, a record-breaking installation at the Las Vegas Sphere. The winner of two Academy Awards® and nominee for the prestigious Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or in its day, the film has since been selected for permanent preservation in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry for its significance to American culture, among innumerable other accolades.
The ruby slippers are perhaps the most recognizable and coveted piece of film memorabilia in all of cinema history, with the originals shattering records at auction by selling for tens of millions of dollars while another example of these Western Costume Company 1989 replicas sold for over $100,000 just last year.
These precisely detailed slipper replicas feature bright red sequins throughout; matching rhinestone and bugle bead bows; yellow leather interior linings; Western Costume Co. labels stamped with "50017," "Judy Garland," and "Wizard of Oz" to match the WCC labeling style of the era; and pieces of orange felt glued to the slippers' soles to replicate the orange felt glued to the original ruby slippers to soften the sound of Garland walking and dancing on the Yellow Brick Road. The lot shows minimal evidence of handling and age.
Estimate: $80,000 - 160,000This item comes with a Propstore Certificate of Authenticity.