“What’s in the box?”
Despite the price tag of more than $50,000, the answer is “nothing.”
An empty shoebox sold for $53,340 Tuesday afternoon at Sotheby’s.
The box in question was created by Tiffany in 2023 in conjunction with its collaboration with Nike to release the cobranded Air Force 1, which was produced using Tiffany’s .925 silver on the back.
Made completely from the same sterling silver and weighing 23 pounds, the one-of-one creation came from Tiffany’s Rhode Island workshop — the same workshop where the company makes the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
It took 155 hours of silversmithing to take the raw silver and mold it into the shape of a shoebox complete with the iconic Nike Swoosh. Its price was only available upon request and purchased nearly immediately by a private investor, according to Highsnobiety.
The box includes accessories such as a whistle, toothbrush, and shoe horn.
The actual Nike x Tiffany Air Force 1 sneaker was limited to 1,837 pairs (a nod to the year of Tiffany’s founding).
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.