Steve Jobs’ used Birkenstocks sell for $218,000 at auction
A used pair of Birkenstock sandals once worn by Apple founder Steve Jobs has sold at auction for over $200,000.
The enigmatic CEO was most famous for his wardrobe of black turtleneck sweaters. But friends and family have also said that Jobs loved Birkenstocks – the famous German brand of cork-footbed leather sandals.
This particular pair of Birkenstocks first sold for $2,000 in 2016. They were part of a collection put together by Mark Sheff, Jobs’ former house manager. After Jobs’ death from pancreatic cancer in 2011, Sheff collected a ‘quite random’ assortment of used objects from the Apple founder’s estate in Albany, California.
Jobs’ ex-partner Chrisann Brennan told German Vogue about his love for the brand in an interview published in 2018: ‘The sandals were part of his simple side. They were his uniform. The great thing about a uniform is that you don’t have to worry about what to wear in the morning.’
Julien’s expected the Birkenstocks to appreciate in value to at least $60,000 – $80,000. The massive final sale of $218,000 is the highest anyone has paid for a pair of sandals, the auction house claims.
The shoes have been exhibited multiple times since their first purchase, including at the Salone di Mobile in Milan, the Birkenstock US flagship store in SoHo, and most recently the Wurttemberg History Museum in Germany.
‘The sandals are well used, but still appear intact,’ the listing reads on the Julien’s website. ‘The cork and jute footbed retains the imprint of Steve Jobs’ feet, which had been shaped after years of use. The rubber soles of the sandals show heavy wear from use.’
Julien’s claims that Jobs wore the sandals at ‘many pivotal moments in Apple’s history,’ including the company’s founding in a Los Altos garage alongside Steve Wozniak.
Similar brown suede Birkenstocks can be purchased new from the company’s website for just $140.
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