STUDIO INSCRIPTION: #1 JUDY GARLAND

DESCRIPTION: PRIMARY, NON-DANCE, INSERT

SIZE: 5BC

HEEL: THICK, RUBBER TOP LIFT

SOLE: ORANGE FELT, REPLACED AT LEAST ONCE
INNES PRODUCTION NUMBERS: 5BC 15250

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Originally the primary pair used by Judy Garland for non-dance scenes and used as an insert pair for close-up shots.

Visible:

The tapping scene
Scenes filmed early during production (Tin-Man scene, some shots of Scarecrow scene)
Witch’s castle spark scene
Publicity photos taken early during production
Most non-dance scenes in the film
Short dance numbers (i.e. We're off to see the Wizard!")

Notable differences:

Thicker heel than other known pairs
Bow of right shoe is sewn low, in line with the throat line of the shoe
Bow of right shoe is cut very angularly, making it easier to identify in the film and in publicity shots
Bow of the proper left shoe is sewn higher than the throat line
 

Notes:

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The rubber top lifts on each shoe were added by MGM, replacing the original leather top lifts installed by the manufacturer.

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During production, the bow on the proper right shoe was torn and subsequently sewn back together. It has been stitched onto the shoe at least twice, which can make identification from certain angles more difficult.

 

Missing rhinestones were also repaired or substituted—clear stones were painted red to match the originals and affixed to the bow.

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Subsequent History:

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Sometime after filming ended, this pair became intermixed with the #6 pair. It's believed this switch was likely done by Kent Warner, possibly intentionally. At the time of their discovery in 1970, the two pairs were in notably different conditions: the #1 pair had been heavily worn during production, while the #6 pair remained nearly pristine.

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By the time of the MGM auction, the condition of the mismatched shoes had become similar enough that no one questioned they were a pair. However, the #1 shoe that was not sold at auction shows signs of post-production repair, including sequins glued back onto the toe—an approach inconsistent with standard studio practices.

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The MGM auction pair (which included the #1 proper right shoe) sold for $15,000. However, the buyer later learned that this was not the only existing pair of Ruby Slippers. That proper right shoe remained in private hands until 1979, when it was donated to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

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The #1 proper left shoe was purchased from Kent Warner by Michael Shaw for a reported $2,500. Shaw exhibited his slippers at various museums across the country until they were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, on the night of August 27–28, 2005.

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In September 2018, the FBI announced the recovery of Shaw’s stolen slipper. Although they had once been nearly pristine, the pair now shows signs of damage sustained during the period they were missing.

Current location:
Right shoe: Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Left shoe: Sold by Heritage Auctions for $32,500,000 including buyers premium.