RELEASE | Christie's reveals the top lot and full catalogue for "Original Air: Michael Jordan Game-Worn and Player Exclusive Sneaker Rarities"
New York – A week after previewing "Original Air," the era-defining Michael Jordan footwear auction, Christie's and Stadium Goods are pleased to announce the full selection of 11 historic lots chronicling Jordan's career will now be available to browse by visiting Christie’s sale page: Original Air: Michael Jordan Game-Worn and Player Exclusive Sneaker Rarities. The sale is open for bidding from July 30-August 13.
With the reveal of the catalogue, Christie’s announces the top lot of this landmark sale, the momentous Air Jordan 1 High “‘Shattered Backboard’ Origin Story,” Game-Worn Signed Sneaker, Nike, 1985 ($650,000- 850,000). This one-of-a-kind pair dates to August 25, 1985, when Michael Jordan travelled to Trieste, Italy to participate in a Nike-sponsored exhibition game. Wearing this Air Jordan 1 High “Chicago,” Jordan scored 30 points. The most memorable play of the game was Jordan’s remarkable dunk, so powerful, it shattered the glass backboard into thousands of pieces – one of those pieces still remaining in the sole of the left shoe. Rookie signatures are also found on each shoe. The black and orange limited edition “Shattered Backboard” colorway released by Nike in 2015 to commemorate this moment is now one of Jordan Brand’s most popular color schemes.
With a total of 11 lots among the rarest of the rare, “Original Air” unites the greatest collection of historic Michael Jordan footwear ever offered at one time. The sale spans Jordan’s celebrated career with the Chicago Bulls from 1984 to 1998 and additionally features key highlights from other pivotal moments including Jordan’s tour-de-force performance on the global stage with the ’92 Olympic Dream Team and his brief ‘retirement’ shift to baseball for the Chicago White Sox. Beginning with a pre-Jordan Brand Nike Air Ship worn during his rookie season in 1984 ($350,000 – 550,000), to the very pair of the Air Jordan 7 “Olympic” worn in the Dream Team’s gold medal game in 1992 ($50,000 – 70,000), an extremely rare sample of Air Jordan 10 Baseball Cleats made by Nike for Jordan’s retirement from basketball and entry into baseball ($7,500-9,000), to a pair of classic Jordan 14s worn during practice for his final Bulls appearance ($6,000 – 8,000), “Original Air” provides a one-of-a-kind look at Jordan’s career and his footwear’s impact on sports, culture and style.
Nike’s Jordan Brand has been at the forefront of a pop-culture movement that has spanned the globe. Put simply, Michael Jordan and his signature line of footwear set the foundation for modern basketball and the worldwide phenomenon of sneaker collecting. Additionally, a portion of proceeds from one of the sale’s lots, a game-worn pair of Air Jordan 11 “Concord” from the legendary 1995-6 season ($50,000- 65,000), are designated to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF). Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfils the promise of equality for all Americans.
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