Judy Garland's 'The Wizard of Oz' dress to auction for up to $1.2 million

April 22 (UPI) -- Judy Garland's famed, once-lost dress from The Wizard of Oz could go to the highest bidder for over $1 million dollars at an upcoming auction, Bonhams announced Friday.

Bonhams will auction the dress, which is one of only two existing dresses retaining the white blouse, at its May 24 Classic Hollywood: Film and Television sale in Los Angeles.

It's one of four blue-and-white dresses in existence from the film, according to Bonhams.

The rare costume, most notably recognized from Dorothy's encounter with the Wicked Witch of the West in the film, is valued at between $800,000 and $1.2 million.

Prior to being auctioned off, Bonhams New York will display the classic blue-and-white gingham dress from Saturday until April 29.

Last year, the iconic dress was found at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., after having gone missing for decades.

Rev. Gilbert Hartke, the university's former head of drama, had received it as a gift from an actress in 1973.

Hartke is photographed holding the costume in several photos during the 1970s, but the dress went missing sometime the following decade, according to Bonhams.

He retired in 1986, leaving the costume to his successors leading the drama department. The dress was presumed lost despite many attempts to locate it.

It resurfaced in July 2021 when a drama department professor found it while sifting through boxes in his old office.

The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, home to The Wizard of Oz's artifacts, verified its authenticity, NBC News reported.

In 2015, Bonhams sold the other dress with a blouse for over $1.5 million, and in 2014 sold the Cowardly Lion costume, worn by actor Bert Lahr for over $3 Million.