A Nike Air Jordan 1 Silver Cast Basketball Shoe Crafted for Michael Jordan's 32nd Birthday
Designed directly from one of Michael Jordan's Air Jordan 1 shoes by his then-wife Juanita, this stunning treasure was crafted to commemorate MJ's 32 birthday held February 7, 1995 at Jordan's restaurant in Chicago.
A total of 10 shoes were created by Howard Kaplan, owner of the noted jewelry franchise Henry Kay Jewelers. Of the 10 shoes, Jordan was gifted two, while an additional two were kept by Kaplan with the remainder provided to various charities. The mold was destroyed after the run of 10 shoes was produced. Additionally, 10 baseball gloves were produced of which one is offered in the sale (Lot 524).
The iconic tribute to Jordan was produced in Israel and is perfectly preserved in 10 pounds of sterling silver and is hollow cast. All stitching and craftsmanship has been perfectly preserved.
A short month after this occasion Jordan would famously announce his return to basketball with a simple fax worded "I'm back." This shoe remains a remarkable symbol from an important period in Jordan's life.
The shoe is accompanied by a letter from its creator Howard Kaplan certifying its authenticity:
To Whom it May Concern:
I have looked over the item brought to me which is a silver cast and I have determined that this piece is in fact a genuine replica of the original Air Jordan shoe. {AJ1) We produced this shoe as a birthday gift for Michael Jordan. There were 10 shoes produced. Michael was given two, I own 2 and the balance were given to different charities for auctions to raise funds.
The piece is a hollow cast with the outside layer being sterling silver. The pieces were produced in Israel. After the ten shoes were produced the mold was destroyed.
As you can see the shoe is an exact replica in size as the original shoe and every stitch is exact.
Sincerely,
Howard G. Kaplan
