STUDIO INSCRIPTION: # 6 JUDY GARLAND

DESCRIPTION: BACKUP/INSERTS

SIZE: 5C

HEEL: THIN, LEATHER TOP LIFT

SOLE: ORANGE FELT
INNES PRODUCTION NUMBERS: 5C 11869 D536

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

Visible:

The scene where Dorothy shows her shoes to the Emerald City guard
Publicity photo taken in front of Emerald City
10/31/1938 costume test photo of left shoe alongside an Arabian test shoe
Some shots where the group is walking down the hallway towards the Wizard's throne room
Non-closeup shots in the Witch's castle in scenes with Dorothy and the Witch

 

Notable differences:

Slightly higher, thinner heel compared to the #1 primary pair.

This pair retained their original leather top lifts instead of having them replaced with black rubber.

Bow of the left shoe is more curved along the top than others from production
The bows on this pair had thicker bugle beads than the other bows, indicating the bows used on these were also the first set made and tested on the first pair of shoes completed.
The bows on this pair contain 4 additional rhinestones on each when compared to bows on other pairs. Again, this is an indication that these were the first shoes and bows that were tested, and Adrian must have wanted them slightly less wide. 
The bows on this pair utilized adhesive glue between the beaded overlay and the base bow material, unlike all other known bows from production.  This has allowed the bows to retain more of the original red coloring around the edges, whereas the other bows from production have faded.
 

Notes:

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The left shoe in this pair was the first sequin-covered version tested—originally without a bow. 
 

Subsequent History:

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After production wrapped, this pair was intermixed with the #1 pair—likely by Kent Warner, possibly by design. By the time of their discovery in 1970, the two original pairs were in noticeably different conditions: the #1 pair showed extensive wear from use during filming, while the #6 pair remained nearly pristine.

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At the MGM auction, the shoes—now mismatched—were in similar condition, enough so that no one questioned whether they belonged together.

 

The #6 shoe that was not sold at auction shows signs of post-production repair, including sequins glued back onto the toe—a method inconsistent with known studio restoration practices.

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The mismatched pair sold at the MGM auction for $15,000. However, the buyer later discovered that they were not the sole surviving pair of Ruby Slippers. The auction pair, which included the #1 proper right shoe, remained in private hands until 1979, when it was donated to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

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The #1 proper left shoe was acquired by Michael Shaw, who reportedly purchased it from Kent Warner for $2,500. Shaw exhibited his slippers at museums and public events around the country until they were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, during the night of August 27–28, 2005.

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In September 2018, the FBI announced that the stolen slipper had been recovered. Once nearly pristine, Shaw’s pair now shows signs of damage incurred during the years they were missing.

 

 

Current location:

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