It seems the Christmas Spirit is alive and well in Portland, Oregon and at Sotheby’s, where a rare model of Nike Air Jordan shoes originally designed for Spike Lee sold for $50,800, according to Artnet News.
The gold-painted leather sneakers were found in April of this year, in a donation bin at the Burnside Shelter location of the Portland Rescue Mission in Portland—and the donor remains completely anonymous. Sotheby’s truly embraced the season: the full hammer price went to benefit the Mission (the buyer, of course, still paid the regular fees due to the auction house.)
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The “Nike Air Jordan 3 Retro ‘Spike Lee Oscars’” first appeared on the auteur’s feet on the red carpet during the 91st Annual Academy Awards Ceremony in 2019. Later that evening, Lee would accept an Oscar for his film BlacKkKlansman. According to Sotheby’s, on the sneaker’s heels are decorated logos for Lee’s production company, 40 Acres and A Mule Filmworks, and an oversized Jumpman insignia. The shoes are also embroidered with Lee’s signature and the signature of their designer, Tinker Hatfield.
While this particular pair never graced Lee’s feet, the shoe was never released to the public so there are very few pairs in circulation.
According to the Mission’s website , a man in the long-term shelter program found the shoes, which appeared in brand-new condition, while sorting through a donations bin. The pair eventually made their way to the program director Ed Holcomb’s office. Holcomb recognized them as the Spike Lee Oscar Nikes, and though he was convinced they were counterfeit, took them to a high-end sneaker resale shop in downtown Portland.
“After taking another long look, the owner returned and offered to buy them from me on the spot for $10,000 or to consign them in his store for a potentially larger return,” Holcomb wrote.
After a bit of research Holcomb learned that a similar pair had been auctioned at Sotheby’s in 2021 and earned nearly $48,000. Later, Mission reached out to Hatfield, who flew to Portland, authenticated the shoes and gifted the Mission “additional design paraphernalia, including a replacement box and a framed design proof, which he signed,” Sotheby’s said.
“I’m thrilled the shoes ended up here. It’s a happy ending to a really great project,” he told the Mission staff.