One man’s trashed shoes are actually a Hollywood treasure.
A pair of gold Nike Air Jordan 3 sneakers made for Spike Lee found in a shelter’s donation bin are being auctioned off at Sotheby’s until Dec. 18.
The pricey kicks, valued at over $10,000, were made for the famed director to sport at the 2019 Academy Awards, when he accepted an Oscar for his “BlacKkKlansmen” screenplay.
A formerly homeless man in a program at Burnside Shelter of Portland Rescue Mission, a nonprofit that aids those struggling with homelessness and addiction in Portland, Ore., made the discovery while sifting through bins of items amassed from its donation chute.
“Obviously they must be fakes, we thought, because why would the real thing end up in our donation bins?” said Erin Holcomb, Portland Rescue Mission’s director of human resources, on the nonprofit’s blog. “But I knew I should perform due diligence before putting the sneakers back on our distribution shelves.”
The shoes were brought to a resale shop in downtown Portland, where its owner explained they belonged to Lee and were “some of the most rare and collectible shoes on the market.”
He then offered her $10,000 on the spot to sell them in his store.
Filmmaker Spike Lee sported the kicks while accepting his 2019 Oscar. Chris Pizzello/Invision/APHolcomb took the shoes back and reached out to Sotheby’s, the world’s oldest and largest fine art auctioneer, headquartered on the Upper East Side.
The auction house offered to sell them there without a seller’s fee, so the proceeds could benefit the shelter.
The sneakers, which are expected to go up to $20,000, are listed on Sotheby’s website. Already, 25 bids have been entered, with the top price so far being $9,500.
She then contacted Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, whose name was embroidered on the pair, who made a trip to the shelter and authenticated the shoes, which were in pristine condition.
He even brought along a replacement box and a framed design proof, which he autographed to add value to the lot.
Nike designer Tinker Hatfield visited the shelter to autograph the pair. Sotheby'sLee has a history with Nike and Michael Jordan, having appeared with the NBA legend in the brand’s commercials, and several custom sneakers have been created for him, including the Air Jordan 3s.
The hammer price of the auction, which is the price upon which the auctioneer’s hammer falls, will go to Portland Rescue Mission, while Sotheby’s will retain the buyer’s and overhead premiums from the sale.
“I’m thrilled the shoes ended up here,” Hatfield said in a statement shared by the Portland Rescue Mission. “It’s a happy ending to a really great project.”
The identity of the shoe’s donor remains unknown.
