A man’s destroyed 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 is up for auction at Sotheby’s until December 18.
The expensive sneakers, valued at more than $10,000, were made for the famous director to wear at the 2019 Academy Awards, when he accepted an Oscar for his screenplay for “BlacKkKlansmen.”
A former homeless man in a program at Portland Rescue Mission’s Burnside Shelter, a nonprofit that helps those struggling with homelessness and addiction in Portland, Oregon, made the discovery while going through bins of items accumulated in your donation channel.
“Obviously they must be fakes, we thought, because why would the real thing end up in our donation bins?” said Erin Holcomb, human resources director for Portland Rescue Mission, on the nonprofit’s blog. “But I knew I had to do my due diligence before putting the sneakers back on our distribution shelves.”
The shoes were taken to a resale store in downtown Portland, where their owner explained that they belonged to Lee and were “some of the rarest and most collectible shoes on the market.”
He then offered him $10,000 on the spot to sell in his store.
Filmmaker Spike Lee wore the sneakers while accepting his 2019 Oscar. Chris Pizzello/Invisión/AP
Holcomb retrieved the shoes and approached Sotheby’s, the world’s largest and oldest fine art auctioneer, based on the Upper East Side.
The auction house offered to sell them there without paying fees, so that the proceeds could benefit the shelter.
The sneakers, which are expected to cost up to $20,000, are listed on Sotheby’s website. 25 offers have already been submitted, with the maximum price so far being $9,500.
He then contacted Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, whose name was embroidered on the pair, who went to the shelter and authenticated the shoes, which were in perfect condition.
He even brought a spare 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 couple. Sotheby’s
Lee 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 3.
The auction hammer price, which is the price at which the auctioneer’s hammer falls, will go to the Portland Rescue Mission, while Sotheby’s will retain the buyer’s premiums and general expenses of 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 great project.”
The identity of the shoe donor is unknown.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn