The annual Small Steps Project celebrity shoe auction has closed with a pair of white leather Vivo Barefoot trainers belonging to Benedict Cumberbatch becoming the top selling lot with a £5,000 hammer price.
The auction takes place each year to raise funds for the Small Steps Project charity.
The charity provides emergency aid, including shoes, to help protect feet against sharp objects, and food, to children living on rubbish dumps around the world. The charity then provides support to enable the children to enter the education system, and helps any adults to find employment.
Each year various celebrities donate a pair of signed shoes to help raise funds via the charity auction which is featured on the Charity Stars auction platform.
To date, Small Steps have helped over 20,000 children worldwide.
This year shoes have been donated by Cumberbatch, Queen guitarist Brian May, Ronnie Wood, Margot Robbie, Barry Gibb, Sir Tom Jones, Rory McIlroy, Ricky Gervais and others.
It was Hollywood star Cumberbatch's signed shoes that led the way with 19 bids and the final hammer price of £5,000, beating the £3,000 raised in 2019 from a similar pair of his shoes.
Margot Robbie donated a pair of signed Blundstone Chelsea Boots, signing 'Margot' to the left boot and 'Barbie' to the right,
The boots attracted 9 bids and sold for £601.
Four time Major champion Rory McIlroy donated a pair of signed Nike golf worn shoes which attracted 12 bids before selling for £1,001 to an anonymous bidder.
Other top lots included Brian May's white Adidas leather trainers that attracted 15 bids and sold for £1,850, Sir Tom Jones’ black leather brogues, signed in gold pen, that sold for £1,500 and Joanna Lumley's red stilettos that sold for £1,250.
About your Author:
Adrian Roose has over 30 years’ experience covering all aspects of the rare stamp & memorabilia industry during which he has sold over £50m of unique items, helping build collections for Royalty, household name celebrities and 1,000s of collectors around the world.
Adrian was previously a Director at Stanley Gibbons, a Board Member of Stampex, and Executive Director of Paul Fraser Collectibles, PFC Auctions and JustCollecting, prior to founding The Memorabilia Club.