THE blue gingham dress worn by Judy Garland as Dorothy inThe Wizard of Oz is going to auction. The iconic outfit is expected to sell for half a million dollars when it goes on sale on November 9 in Los Angeles.
Only 10 versions of the dress were originally made for the production, and the piece being sold is one of the few to have survived intact – carrying a starting bid of $200,000 (£125,000). Should you wish to get a first-hand look at the costume closer to home, a second dress also worn by Garland during filming will be on display in London from October 20 as part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Hollywood Costume exhibition – where it will be reunited for the first time with a pair of the original ruby slippers.
The dress going on sale is part of the Icons and Idols 2012: Hollywood auction, which will take place at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, and is one of 800 items of film history up for bidding. In tribute to the 50th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe‘s death, a number of items once belonging to the screen icon will feature in the sale, including a copy of her Last Will and Testament from 1961 – as well as pieces worn by acting legends Katharine Hepburn, Rita Hayworth and Bette Davis.
The dress made famous by Julie Andrews as Maria in The Sound of Music will also feature in the auction, alongside Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond suit from Goldeneye and the outfit worn by Angelina Jolie in Girl Interrupted.
The items will be on public display at Julien’s Auctions from November 5 until the sale on November 9.
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