A pair of Birkenstocks said to have been worn on Steve Jobs‘ feet – along with an NFT of them – have sold at auction for a winning bid of $218,750. The sandals had been expected to sell for up to $80,000, so SCORE for the person selling them.
While it is clear that the sandals were indeed made by Birkenstock, the providence of the sale item gets a bit murky from there. While there are several photos of Jobs sporting a pair of Birkenstocks similar to the auction items, it can’t be 100% confirmed that these were Steve’s.
Julien’s Auctions says Jobs gave the sandals to his house manager Mark Sheff. But, Juliens’ Auctions didn’t confirm that it was Sheff who listed this particular lot.
A pair of brown suede leatherBirkenstock Arizona sandals that were personally owned and worn by Steve Jobs.
Jobs would wear this particular pair of sandals in the 1970’s and 1980’s. This pair of Birkenstock sandals were previously owned by Mark Sheff, the house manager to Steve Jobs. In an article with Business Insider, Sheff states that he acquired these Birkenstocks and other items because, “he [Jobs] kept very few things,” he continues,
“We kept some, shared some with the landscapers and friends and brought some to Goodwill. The collection we ended up with is quite random.”
Additionally Sheff states in an article with Vogue that Steve Jobs had created his own sandals in the 1970’s as he was an, “eco, alternative and New Age supporter.”
Steve Jobs wore these sandals during many pivotal moments in Apple’s history. In 1976, he hatched the beginnings of Apple computer in a Los Altos garage with Apple’s co-founder Steve Wozniak while occasionally wearing these sandals.When Jobs discovered the ingenuity and practicality of Birkenstocks, he became fascinated. Margot Fraser, who brought the brand to the United States was among Steve’s first callsupon trying on the iconic sandal.
Margot mentions that, “he was interested in where the form comes from.He wanted to know everything about the materials and he was also interested in the technical side.”
The buyer of the used shoes was not named.
(Via AppleInsider)
