Even before the Bulls championship dynasty began, Michael Jordan had already established himself as the world’s best player. Presented here is a pair of Mike's Air Jordan IV shoes that have been beautifully dual-signed by His Airness in the summer of 1990. They were auctioned off during the festivities of Magic Johnson's "A Midsummer Night's Magic" charity event--an annual fundraiser he started in 1985 to benefit the United Negro College Fund, highlighted by a celebrity All-Star exhibition game (8/5/90) played at the Forum. The winning bidder of these unworn pair of MJ-autographed Nike shoes received them in a nice Plexiglas enclosed display case with a placcard from the event with Jordan's career bio through his first six NBA seasons.
Another creation from famed designer Tinker Hatfield, the AJ IV is considered among the more comfortable in the series. The Jumpman logo made its second appearance on the tongue with the word “Flight” added below it. The sculpted midsole and visible Air unit were carried over, but the sneaker world was introduced to Nubuck (leather) uppers and mesh to increase breathability. It also featured plastic heel tabs labeled “Nike Air” and triangular plastic pieces attached to the Nubuck. Mars Blackmon returned to the ad campaign to increase marketability and make it among the most revered of all Air Jordan models.
This rare white and gray colorway was orginally presented brand new with the plastic Nike tag still attached to the right shoe. The GOAT's early-career autograph appears on the lower outside ankle of each sneaker in 8/10 black marker. The shoes are properly tagged by Nike on the interior with Jordan’s traditional size 13 and “890910FT2” manufacturer date coding. The white tongues feature the MJ's iconic Jumpman logo in red on the top and an "AIR JORDAN" stitched-on strip tag underneath. All elements are original and as-issued to each shoe. The soles have begun to lightly crack (mostly in the lower heel but slighlty around the sides as well), which almost always occurs with this style, but the level of deterioration is minimal at this point. For whatever reason, Nike used a delicate midsole cushioning material in their late 80's to early 90's Air Jordan models that has proven to lack durability, regardless of wear. Overall they present in excellent shape, especially compared to other examples, with most structural elements well-preserved and intact. In most cases, the plastic heel tabs have broken off and the soles are heavily deteriorated to the point of missing large chunks of material.
Includes full LOA from Beckett (autos.). The Plexi enclosure measures 15" (L) x 13" (W) x 11" (H) and weighs 11 lbs. with a small piece missing from one lower corner.