A pair of Air Jordan 1 prototypes have surfaced publicly for the first time at Grey Flannel Auctions.
The shoes have not been photo-matched, but they resemble the pair used in one of Michael Jordan's earliest commercial campaigns. The black-and-red shoes feature just text saying "Air Jordan" without the "Wings" logo, which was later added for the commercial release of the sneaker. They are likely the earliest pair of Air Jordans ever sold publicly, and certainly among the first produced.
In late 1984, the shoes were gifted to the consignor from his college basketball coach in Portland, Oregon, according to the letter of provenance provided by Grey Flannel.
The sneakers have never been displayed and remained in the possession of the consignor, a collector of vintage autographs, for nearly 40 years.
"He knew he had something special," Grey Flannel director of operations Michael Russek told cllct. "He knew enough to be dangerous, but he didn't realize how special they were until we really dug into them."
While the auction house doesn't publish estimates for their lots publicly, Grey Flannel bills the sneakers as "arguably the most important individual pair of sneakers ever to be publicly offered."
When asked how they stack up to the Nike "Air Ships," the first sneaker model worn by Jordan in the NBA (a game-worn example of which sold for six-figures), Russek cited their display value and connection to Nike as elements that make this pair particularly significant.
"I think there's a better story behind them. In this hobby, display-ability is a big part of value. And to me, these are hard to beat," Russek said. "The Air Ships didn't launch a brand."
The sneakers are unable to be photo-matched due to the low resolution of the original Nike advertisement photo.
As for the decision to sell the shoes now, Russek said it was a combination of the growth of the market for collectible sneakers and game-worn memorabilia, as well as Nike's decision to bring back a retro of the Air Jordan "Breds."
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.