The auction house in Hollywood, California listed over 950 items and only five props related to Wizard of Oz.
Some items have been on auction before, such as the famous black-and-white gingham pinafore dress worn by the character Dorothy Gale in the 1939 classic.
The dress sold in ’88 and in ’95, so this is the third appearance. It came from the MGM sale, says Maddalena. The world record is $1.5 million for the blue gingham dress. This is the only black-and-white one that exist.
Profiles in History founder Joseph Maddalena knows a thing or two about pop culture; it has been his business since founding the memorabilia auction house in 1985.
Maddalena believes the enduring legacy of The Wizard of Oz, as one of the first films shot in technicolor, contributes to its value. “More people go to the Smithsonian Museum to view the ruby slippers than anything else,” he says. “That’s about 6 million people a year. So that just shows you how significant it is. It’s embedded [in our] culture.”
Below is information about these five original items from 1939 Wizard of Oz movie
1. “Dorothy Gale” scene specific screen used black-and-white gingham pinafore dress – with estimate $350,000 - $500,000
Auction house descrition :
"Dorothy Gale" scene specific screen used black-and-white gingham pinafore dress from The Wizard of Oz. (MGM, 1939) When Dorothy Gale of Kansas opens the door to Munchkinland, Barbara "Bobbie" Koshay, Judy Garland's camera double, is wearing this one-of-a-kind dress. After Koshay opens the door, she backs out of the frame as the camera moves through the doorway. Meanwhile, Judy Garland, wearing a bright blue gingham dress, walks into frame and the full Technicolor lighting of the Land of Oz. This pinafore is styled exactly the same as the screen used blue-and-white costume. The bodice is lined with ochre-colored cotton. Featuring hook and eye bodice closure and snap skirt closure. Includes the hidden pocket on the right side of the skirt for Dorothy's handkerchief. MGM cleaning label attached to the inside of skirt. This is the only black and white pinafore known to exist. Accompanied with a Judy Garland-worn blouse used in the initial weeks of filming (with a different pinafore) under the direction of Richard Thorpe (October 1938). The "Judy" blouse is constructed of white organdy with puff sleeves, Peter Pan collar, front button decorative panel with six pleats, with a blue and white polka dot bow attached at the neck and back snap closure. Inside bias label handwritten in ink, "Judy Garland." On inside neck is handwritten in ink, "NO. 8"; on collar is handwritten in ink, "NO.8". Orange MGM cleaning tag attached with staple. Blouse has some discoloration, water staining with splitting at the rear shoulders and blue dye transfer on back left shoulder. Of all the "Dorothy" dresses that have appeared at auction over the years, this is the only example that has the distinction of being definitively scene specific and screen used. The importance of this dress cannot be overstated as Wizard of Oz historians agree it is one-of-a-kind, unlike the blue gingham dresses of which many were made and worn on screen. An historic costume, embodying the ingenious and dazzling visual effects from the most beloved film of all time. Provenance: Camden House Auctioneers, May 20, 1989, Lot 392.
"This screen-worn dress from The Wizard of Oz is of crucial significance in film history. The use of sepia-toned filmstock was, in itself, a novelty at the time," as stated by William Stillman in The Road to Oz: The Evolution, Creation, and Legacy of a Motion Picture Masterpiece: What remained, however, was the intent to manipulate the film medium by starkly contrasting the Dust Bowl farm with the Technicolor fantasy of Oz, thus adhering to L. Frank Baum's description-and W.W. Denslow's accompanying pictures-of Dorothy's homestead and surroundings as grey and barren. John Nickolaus, head of M-G-M's film lab, intended to use "Technicolor black and white" stock (standard black-and-white film printed in sepia tones) in order to create prairie landscape that was as monochromatic as Baum described it. Nickolaus had already experimented with the sepia platinum toning process on The Good Earth (1937) and The Girl of the Golden West (1938). In December 1938, Howard Dietz, head of M-G-M's advertising and publicity department, heralded Nickolaus's development as one of Metro's great innovations of the year. The Wizard of Oz was intended to be presented in Technicolor from the start, and consideration for achieving a seamless transition from the monochromatic shades of Kansas to the Technicolor hues of Oz was a technical challenge. After thoughts of stencil-printing-hand-tinting each film frame-were discarded, a simpler approach was used. Barbara Koshay was Judy Garland's height, weight and coloring, and appears on screen, as Dorothy, tumbling into the Kansas pigpen and being lifted into the air by the Winged Monkeys. Koshay would wear an identical dress as Garland, with the exception of its color, and her flesh would be tinted to match the tone of the other Kansas scenes. It was an ingenious solution to have Koshay simply switch places with Garland in the brief yet pivotal scene filmed under Victor Fleming's direction on December 29, 1938."-William Stillman, coauthor of the award-winning book The Road to Oz: The Evolution, Creation, and Legacy of a Motion Picture Masterpiece.
Result of Auction: Sold for $600,000 (600,000.00 + 168,000.00 commision) x 1 = $768,000.00
2. “Emerald City Honor Guard” trumpet musket – with estimate $20,000 - $30,000
Auction house descrition : Vintage original prop musket constructed of wood with metal hammer, trigger guard, trigger, and barrel, which terminates in a distinctive trumpet bell muzzle. Affixed to the barrel is an intentionally blunted bayonet. The butt stock of the rifle features hand-painted characteristic Oz designs on either side, with the letters "OZ", gold scroll patterns, and hybrid creatures wearing crowns. Exhibiting age, wear, chipping to paint and wood elements with minor pitting to metal components and warping to bayonet. Readily identifiable as the standard issue weapon of the guards "Dorothy" (Judy Garland) and friends encounter during their visit to the "Wizard" (Frank Morgan). Measures 72 in. long. In vintage good condition.
Result of Auction: Sold for (27,500.00 + 7,700.00 commision) x 1 = $35,200.00
3. “Prince Denis “Sergeant-at-Arms” jacket – with estimate $20,000 - $30,000
Auction house descrition :Vintage original Munchkin collarless military jacket designed by Adrian. Constructed of thick orange and gray wool with wide pointed lapels, oversized round epaulets with twisted creme rope fringe, back jumper flap, large, light gray large wool covered buttons, and long tails. Interior lined in gray muslin and retaining internal MGM bias label. Highly visible on screen during the Munchkin parade when Denis serves as footman to the carriage in which "Dorothy" (Judy Garland) rides. Exhibiting age and production wear, handwriting on label is faded/illegible, epaulets with some loose seams. In vintage very good to fine condition.
Result of Auction: Sold for (22,500.00 + 6,300.00 commision) x 1 = $28,800.00
4. “Munchkin” jacket – with estimate $20,000 - $30,000
Auction house descrition :Vintage original double breasted cropped jacket constructed of thick chocolate and brown wool with wide, round tip collar, oversized peaked bias cut lapels. Interior lined in dyed-to-match brown muslin. Retaining internal MGM bias label. An impeccably preserved example of Adrian's iconic and imaginative costume designs for the film. Exhibiting age and production wear. In vintage very good to fine condition
Result of Auction: Not Sold
5. “Emerald City Townsman” jacket – with estimate $30,000 - $50,000
Auction house descrition : Vintage original green, baby blue, and creme felt wool jacket with long balloon sleeves, open front with integral fabric belt closure and large decorative self-buttons. Baby blue corded piping forms a whimsical design around creme-paneled portions of the front jacket, with hook and eye closures at the wrist of each sleeve. Lined in tan cotton. A whimsical and instantly identifiable Adrian design for the most beloved film of all time. Exhibiting some minor fading to areas, light spot staining, and interior lining discoloration. In overall very good to fine vintage condition. Provenance: Sotheby's 1992
Result of Auction: Not Sold
In conclusion, although two out of five items did not sell, auction results show that there continue demand for Wizard of Oz props. Some and similar Oz props ( musket and jacket ) covered in earlier Wizard of Oz memorabilia Newsletter.