Ruby slippers worn by actor Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" went under the hammer Saturday, and the winning price was over the rainbow -- a record $32.5 million, the auction house said.

The shimmery shoes, among the most famous pairs of footwear ever, soared past the pre-auction estimate of $3 million within moments and by the time the bidding war was complete they had become the most valuable movie memorabilia ever sold at auction, according to Heritage Auctions which oversaw the dramatic sale in Dallas, Texas.

The final bid was $28 million, with taxes and fees pushing the cost to $32.5 million, Heritage Auctions said.

The entire haul for the Hollywood/Entertainment Signature Auction, which also featured the sale of the Wicked Witch's black hat for $2.9 million, set a new record of $38.6 million for an entertainment auction.

But it was the sequin-covered pumps -- one of four surviving ruby pairs worn in the 1939 cult classic -- that stole the show in Texas, as expected.

"There is simply no comparison between Judy Garland's Ruby Slippers and any other piece of Hollywood memorabilia," Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said in a statement.

"The breathtaking result reflects just how important movies and movie memorabilia are to our culture and to collectors."

- Stolen slippers -

The shoes that sold on Saturday have a storied history. They were not just the ones on Dorothy when she began her adventure in Oz, or when she clicked her heels to go home to Kansas: they were stolen nearly 20 years ago.

The shoes, created by MGM Studios chief costume designer at the time, Gilbert Adrian, had belonged to a collector since 1970.&nbsp;They were kept in the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, until they mysteriously disappeared in 2005.

Despite a six-figure reward and the involvement of the FBI, it was not until 2018 that they were finally tracked down.

The perpetrator of the theft, Terry Martin, admitted taking them and said he did so because he believed they were encrusted with real rubies.

Heritage Auctions said the 77-year-old Martin, who confessed in court documents last year to stealing the ruby slippers, had wanted to pull off "one last score." He was given a suspended prison sentence in January.

One pair of ruby slippers was sold in 2012 to Hollywood legends Steven Spielberg and Leonardo DiCaprio, who donated them to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.&nbsp;

Another resides at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, in Washington, while the fourth pair sold in 2000 for $666,000.

Other memorabilia from "The Wizard of Oz" was also on sale, including Garland's wigs, film posters and photographs, as well as other items such as a wooden game board from "Jumanji" starring Robin Williams.

Ruby slippers worn by actor Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" went under the hammer Saturday, and the winning price was over the rainbow -- a record $32.5 million, the auction house said.

Ruby slippers worn by actor Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" went under the hammer Saturday, and the winning price was over the rainbow -- a record $32.5 million, the auction house said. The shimmery shoes, among the most famous pairs of footwear ever, soared past the pre-auction estimate of $3 million within moments and by the time the bidding war was complete they had become the most valuable movie memorabilia ever sold at auction, according to Heritage Auctions which oversaw the dramatic sale in Dallas, Texas. The final bid was $28 million, with taxes and fees pushing the cost to $32.5 million, Heritage Auctions said. The entire haul for the Hollywood/Entertainment Signature Auction, which also featured the sale of the Wicked Witch's black hat for $2.9 million, set a new record of $38.6 million for an entertainment auction. But it was the sequin-covered pumps -- one of four surviving ruby pairs worn in the 1939 cult classic -- that stole the show in Texas, as expected. "There is simply no comparison between Judy Garland's Ruby Slippers and any other piece of Hollywood memorabilia," Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said in a statement. "The breathtaking result reflects just how important movies and movie memorabilia are to our culture and to collectors." - Stolen slippers - The shoes that sold on Saturday have a storied history. They were not just the ones on Dorothy when she began her adventure in Oz, or when she clicked her heels to go home to Kansas: they were stolen nearly 20 years ago. The shoes, created by MGM Studios chief costume designer at the time, Gilbert Adrian, had belonged to a collector since 1970. They were kept in the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, until they mysteriously disappeared in 2005. Despite a six-figure reward and the involvement of the FBI, it was not until 2018 that they were finally tracked down. The perpetrator of the theft, Terry Martin, admitted taking them and said he did so because he believed they were encrusted with real rubies. Heritage Auctions said the 77-year-old Martin, who confessed in court documents last year to stealing the ruby slippers, had wanted to pull off "one last score." He was given a suspended prison sentence in January. One pair of ruby slippers was sold in 2012 to Hollywood legends Steven Spielberg and Leonardo DiCaprio, who donated them to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Another resides at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, in Washington, while the fourth pair sold in 2000 for $666,000. Other memorabilia from "The Wizard of Oz" was also on sale, including Garland's wigs, film posters and photographs, as well as other items such as a wooden game board from "Jumanji" starring Robin Williams.

Way up high: Dorothy's ruby slippers fetch record $32.5 mn

An elderly US man has been charged with the theft nearly 20 years ago of a pair of red slippers that Judy Garland wore in the classic film The Wizard of Oz.

The sequined shoes -- indelibly associated with the character Dorothy clicking them together and saying repeatedly, "there's no place like home" -- were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in the actress's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

The footwear was recovered in an FBI sting in 2018 but no charges were filed at the time. A million-dollar reward for information leading to an arrest was offered, to no avail.

But on Wednesday, Terry Martin was indicted by a grand jury and charged with one count of theft of major artwork, the US Justice Department office in North Dakota said.

The announcement gave no details of Martin, nor did it say what led police to him as a suspect in the slipper heist, in which a glass display case containing the shoes was shattered in the middle of the night.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune newspaper said Martin is 76 and lives 12 miles (20 kilometres) from the Garland Museum.

When reached by the paper, Martin was quoted as saying, "gotta go on trial. I don’t want to talk to you."

The slippers are among four pairs that Garland wore during the making of the beloved 1939 film.

They are, the Justice Department said, "widely viewed as among the most recognizable memorabilia in American film history."

It said that at the time of the theft the shoes were insured for $1 million but their current value is around $3.5 million.

When the slippers were recovered in 2018, they were authenticated by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, which has another of the four genuine pairs.

After the theft, police in Grand Rapids received numerous tips, chief Scott Johnson said in 2018.&nbsp;

One claimed the shoes Dorothy wore on the yellow brick road were nailed to a wall in a roadside diner. Another insisted they were thrown in an iron-ore pit.&nbsp;

"They're more than just a pair of shoes," said Johnson at the time. "They're an enduring symbol of the power of belief."

An elderly US man has been charged with the theft nearly 20 years ago of a pair of red slippers that Judy Garland wore in the classic film The Wizard of Oz. The sequined shoes -- indelibly associated with the character Dorothy clicking them together and saying repeatedly, "there's no place like home" -- were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in the actress's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

An elderly US man has been charged with the theft nearly 20 years ago of a pair of red slippers that Judy Garland wore in the classic film The Wizard of Oz. The sequined shoes -- indelibly associated with the character Dorothy clicking them together and saying repeatedly, "there's no place like home" -- were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in the actress's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The footwear was recovered in an FBI sting in 2018 but no charges were filed at the time. A million-dollar reward for information leading to an arrest was offered, to no avail. But on Wednesday, Terry Martin was indicted by a grand jury and charged with one count of theft of major artwork, the US Justice Department office in North Dakota said. The announcement gave no details of Martin, nor did it say what led police to him as a suspect in the slipper heist, in which a glass display case containing the shoes was shattered in the middle of the night. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune newspaper said Martin is 76 and lives 12 miles (20 kilometres) from the Garland Museum. When reached by the paper, Martin was quoted as saying, "gotta go on trial. I don’t want to talk to you." The slippers are among four pairs that Garland wore during the making of the beloved 1939 film. They are, the Justice Department said, "widely viewed as among the most recognizable memorabilia in American film history." It said that at the time of the theft the shoes were insured for $1 million but their current value is around $3.5 million. When the slippers were recovered in 2018, they were authenticated by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, which has another of the four genuine pairs. After the theft, police in Grand Rapids received numerous tips, chief Scott Johnson said in 2018. One claimed the shoes Dorothy wore on the yellow brick road were nailed to a wall in a roadside diner. Another insisted they were thrown in an iron-ore pit. "They're more than just a pair of shoes," said Johnson at the time. "They're an enduring symbol of the power of belief."

US man charged for stealing Dorothy's Wizard of Oz ruby slippers

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