$ 1.2 Million Auction Potential for “Wizard of Oz” Dorothy Dress Causes Proceedings

Fashion historians, pop culture fans, and movie lovers had reason to rejoice when Judy Garland found the second full costume worn by The Wizard of Oz in a college drama shoebox last month. ..

Dorothy’s iconic blue and white pinafore is believed to have five versions, but the recently discovered costume is the second of two outfits with matching blouses.

Bonhams, an auction house, listed its costume for $ 800,000 to $ 1,200,000, but a newly filed proceeding claiming legitimate ownership of the work casts doubt on the legitimacy of the auction.

According to CNBC, Barbara Hartke, who filed a lawsuit in New York on Tuesday, claims the dress belongs to her because it was given to her uncle, Rev. Gilbert Hartke, who owns her property.

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Gilbert Hartke was presented with a costume by Academy Award-winning actress and Garland friend Mercedes McCambridge. McKenbridge is best known for her role in her “Exorcist” and “The Men of All Kings” and won an Academy Award.

Gilbert Hartke founded the Faculty of Drama at the Catholic University of Washington, DC. Here, McKenbridge was an artist-in-residence.

In the proceedings, Barbara Hartke’s legal team claims that the college does not have the right to auction costumes because McCambridge “concretely and publicly” gave her uncle a dress. The proceedings allege that for this reason, part of Hollywood’s history is “the property of the decedent’s property.”

Hartke claims that no one contacted the property about the costume auction. According to court documents, her legal team is currently pursuing a temporary or injunction to suspend sales.

The Catholic University told Forbes that the school is considering a proceeding and will provide additional information “after a thorough review of the complaint.”

According to Bonhams, “The dress that Judy Garland wore as Dorothy Gale throughout the scene set in Witch’s Castle when the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) threatened to catch Dorothy and die.”

The label on the inside of the dress, labeled JUDY GARLAND 4223 (and some other elements such as stitches, clasps, hidden pockets, etc.) proved the legitimacy of the outfit.

Judy Garland’s long-lost “Wizard of Oz” Dorothy’s dress could sell for up to $ 1.2 million, according to pre-sale auction quotes https://t.co/pqYAIddoWs pic.twitter.com/1nkyT0uF2O

— Reuters (@Reuters) April 26, 2022

Bonhams has not yet publicly responded to the costume auction.

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