Actor's slippers fetch big bucks

GARLAND: WIZARD OF OZ STAR'S GEAR RAKES IN R575M

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Ruby slippers worn by actor Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz went under the hammer last Saturday, and the winning price was over the rainbow—a record $32.5 million (about R575 million), the auction house said.

The shimmery shoes, among the most famous pairs of footwear, 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 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.