With the start of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics now less than a week away, auction house Sotheby’s has unveiled The Olympic Collection – an assemblage of memorabilia, sneakers, and collectibles related to Olympic athletes.
Launching the same day as the Summer Olympic Games on July 23rd, the exclusive sale will encompass over 50 rare items, many without reserve, including a “Prototype Logo” track spikes, handmade in the 1960s by Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman for Canada track and field sprinter Harry Jerome.
Obsessed with weight and performance, Bowerman would build shoes for his University of Oregon runners from scratch, often using an assemblage of raw materials.
Another lot features a pair of Converse “Fastbreak” trainers worn by basketball icon Michael Jordan during the 1984 Olympic Trials, with an estimated value of $80,000 to $100,000.
According to Sotheby’s catalogue notes, the shoes are some of the rarest Michael Jordan worn and signed sneakers in existence as this pair were worn by Jordan during the 1984 Olympic Trials.
