One of the most significant sneakers in Nike’s history just went up for auction.
Pictured here is a blue and white colorway of the One Line running sneaker from 1980, available now in a men’s size 9 via Heritage Auction. The shoe was essentially a knockoff version of the Nike Oceania running shoe that was actually made by the Swoosh itself. It features a blue-based nylon upper that’s coupled with suede overlay panels at the forefoot and heel counter. Unlike the Oceania, no Swoosh branding is seen on the sides and is instead replaced with a simple white stripe at the midfoot.
Back in ‘77, Nike co-founder Phil Knight received a $25 million bill from the U.S. Customs Service, which the brand couldn’t afford to pay as it was the same amount it took in that year. In response, Nike created the One Line shoe so that customs officials would have to reference it as a competitor shoe to Nike and alter the Swoosh’s import duty.
In his book Shoe Dog, Knight said that “a couple of thousand pairs” of the One Line sneakers were sold while lobbying with Oregonian senators to erase the bill. Two years later, both parties reached an agreement of $9 million, a price that Nike could finally afford to pay as the brand generated $140 million in revenue that year.
For a deeper look at this piece of Nike history, click here.
Readers who are interested in bidding for this rare One Line sneaker can do so at Heritageauction.com from now until April 27. Bidding begins at $5,000.
