Sotheby’s Goes 40 for 40 With Its Nike Air Force 1 Collection of Grails
Leave it to Sotheby's to get its hands on 40 grail-worthy Nike Air Force 1s for the shoe's 40th anniversary.
The New York-based auction house — home to recherché luxury pieces, high art, and even the most sought-after sneakers — recently unveiled its "40 for 40" collection of Nike Air Force 1 sneakers.
Playing on the collection's name, Sotheby's essentially rounded up 40 of Nike's coveted and perhaps most expensive Air Force 1 sneakers, celebrating the model's birthday and its groundbreaking impact on sneaker culture.
So, what does Sotheby's "40 for 40" look like? Well, it doesn't include MSCHF's Super Normal Sneaker, that's for sure. But, it's indeed an Air Force 1 aficionado's paradise.
Jay-Z's crisp white 40/40 Club shoes, Nike and fragment's HTM '07 faux croc sneakers, Questlove's elephant-printed kicks, and LeBron James' Saturday Night Live samples are just some of the holy grail sneakers that greet you during your scroll through Sotheby's collection.
Quite a few of Fat Joe's Terror Squad AF1 kicks accompany the offering, including a unique autographed pair signed by the since-ceased record label's CEO himself.
The collection also carries the Nike AF1 Georges Entourage sample — a rare gem that also appeared in Sotheby's Entourage collection in November 2021.
Sotheby's runs back Virgil Abloh's Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1s, allowing eager bidders another chance at scoring the coveted shoes following the $23.5 million success back in February.
After peaking with a 6-figure bid earlier this year, it should be no surprise that the latest auction already hosts 61 bids, the highest at $110,000.
Signed Off-White "University Gold" and sample University Blue AF1s are also on the bidding block. And much like the Louis Vuitton iterations and pretty much the rest of the collection, they ain't going out cheaply either (for reference: the "University Gold" kicks are at $26,000 as we speak).
Sotheby's "40 for $40" collection — available on Sotheby's website — isn't dipping below $1,000 for a starting bid, which is basically pocket change for big spenders.
Ouch, I know. But don't fret, the auction space is also hosting a curated "40 for 40" exhibition at Sothebys New York until June 14, accommodating those who weren't planning to drop thousands on your wishlist sneakers this month.
To stay updated on everything happening in the sneaker world, follow @highsnobietysneakers on Instagram, check our sneaker release date calendar, and subscribe to our sneaker chatbot on Facebook to receive lightning-quick updates to your inbox.
