If you’re still mourning the end of The Last Dance, you won’t want to miss Christie’s latest auction. Collaborating with sneaker marketplace Stadium Goods, the landmark online sale will offer the most comprehensive sneaker record of Michael Jordan’s era-defining Chicago Bulls career and a look at his footwear’s impact on sports, culture and style.
Aline Sylla-Walbaum, Global Managing Director of Luxury at Christie’s, said: “As the leading luxury auction house, Christie’s is honoured to partner with Stadium Goods, the world’s premier market place for sneakers and streetwear, for a series of sales beginning this July with Original Air. This highly curated sale marks Christie’s entry into a new collecting category that merges sports’ history, art, fashion and contemporary lifestyle following the great success of our Hype sale in December 2019. In collaboration with Stadium Goods, we hand-selected an offering that represents the most iconic moments of Michael Jordan’s celeb-rated career and his enduring impact on sport and style. We sought to offer only the highest-quality pieces in the same way we evaluate items for Christie’s Luxury sales – looking for quality, rarity, and uniqueness of design.”
Made up of 11 lots, Original Air: Michael Jordan Game-Worn and Player Exclusive Sneaker Rarities will offer some of the rarest of the rare sneakers including a pre-Jordan Brand Nike Air Ship Jordan worn during Michael’s rookie season ($350,000 – 550,000), the very pair of Air Jordan 7 “Olympic” sneakers worn in the Dream Team’s gold medal game in 1992 ($50,000 – 70,000), and a pair of classic Jordan 14s worn during practice for his final Bulls appearance ($6,000 – 8,000).
John McPheters, co-founder and co-CEO of Stadium Goods, said: “Michael Jordan’s tremendous impact on basketball and sneakers is universally acknowledged, and it can be easy to think there aren’t any new stories to add to the legend. But as we’ve seen with The Last Dance and now with our Original Air auction with Christie’s, there are still lesser known narratives in the legacy that create great interest. The pieces we’ve put together for this auction are truly unique, and will have deep resonance for Jordan fans, sneaker connoisseurs and pop culture collectors alike.”
The sale will run from 30 July to 13 August with browsing opening this Thursday, 23 July. A portion of proceeds from one of the sale’s lots will also be donated to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which through litigation, advocacy and public education seeks to expand democracy, eliminate disparities and achieve racial justice.
For more sneaker-related content, check out our interview with Dave White on his own Jordan collaboration.