Sotheby’s is now accepting bids on the most expensive sneaker ever to be sold at auction: A pair of Nike Air Ships that Michael Jordan wore. Bidding currently stands at 1.1 million USD, with estimates that the sale will reach 1.5 million.
According to the British auction house, the sneakers come with a Letter Of Provenance from Mr. Tommie Tim III Lewis who was given the shoes by Michael Jordan. The authenticity of the sneakers is confirmed by a Letter of Opinion from MEARS Authentication, LLC regarding game use.
The Nike Air Ship is a significant part of the sneaker history and design legacy that inspired the original Air Jordan. Nike gifted Michael Jordan his own line of shoes and clothing in 1984. This was the turning point that led to Michael signing with Nike. This was the first time that Nike had ever collaborated with an athlete of this magnitude, which opened the door to many of the player partnerships we see today.
Record breaking
Christie’s auctioned off a pair of sneakers for $615,000 in August 2020. It was also worn by Jordan in a friendly match in Trieste on 25 August 1985 as part of a Nike promotional trip. Christie’s sold the sneakers for a record 615,000 dollars, breaking the previous record set by Sotheyb’s three years earlier. After the success of “The Last Dance”, Sotheby’s was able to sell a pair autographed Air Jordan 1s at a record $560,000 in May 2020. Nearly all of the products related to the six-time NBA champion reached record sales after the documentary aired.
Why is it so special?
The October 1984 letter from the American National Basketball Association (NBA), to Nike, stating that Jordan’s colorful shoes were in violation of the league’s uniformity clause. Nike responded with a famous ad campaign promoting Jordan’s banned shoes.
Sothebys.com will host the auction on 24 October. At the time of writing, bidding is open at 1.1 million USD.
