Here’s What Went Down at Sotheby's ‘Emergence’ Auction

Nike SB Dunks Sotheby’s continues to shape the world of resale, as its latest auction, ‘Emergence’, sold off some key moments in sneaker history. Presenting a selection of high-heat sneakers and memorabilia, the auction ran from December 8 to 18 and saw pieces go for over $50,000.

One of the most important pieces in the collection was Geoff Hollister’s ‘Nike 1’ license plate, which sold for a total of $50,8000. Hollister was one of the Swoosh’s earliest employees, and part of his job was to drive to local track meets and sell Nike shoes out of his van, which was equipped with the ‘Nike 1’ number plate. This method of spreading the word played a key part in Nike’s journey, so much so that a replica of Hollister’s van (and number plate) sits in the Steve Prefontaine Hall at Nike’s World Headquarters.

Alongside the license plate, one of the other star pieces was a pair of signed 2005 Eminem ‘Encore’ Air Jordan 4s. Considered one of the rarest 4s of all time (rumours suggest there were only 50 Friends and Family pairs made), this shoe is a serious collector's piece and was designed to mark the rapper’s Encore album release. This pair featured Eminem’s signature on both shoes, alongside a 2005 inscription, and ended up selling for $50,800. A pair of the Air Jordan 3 Retro 'Spike Lee Oscars' with a Help Hatfield-signed box and design proof also went for the same amount of money.

Want to know more about how Sotheby's is changing the sneaker game? Check out our Eminem Encore Air Jordan 4s, including the Nike SB Dunk High ‘Don Quixote’ or ‘Hay’ sample ($16.5k), and the Nike SB Dunk x Supreme ‘Swoosh’ sample ($17k). The auction also includes a series of more modern sneaker pieces, including the Friends and Family edition of the Nike x Tiffany AF1 (16.5k) and several Virgil Abloh-designed Nike and LV models. On the memorabilia side, a Nike stained glass mirror sold for $5000, and a 1990s employee headquarters waffle iron went for over $2000.

Want to know more about how Sotheby's is changing the sneaker game? Check out our interview Nike SB Dunks.