(Courtesy of Sotheby's)

(CNN) –– When you think of Apple, probably the first thing that comes to mind is its revolutionary technological products... and not exactly a shoebox.

However, these "ultra-rare" Apple sneakers are auctioned at Sotheby's for $50,000, more than any of the company's products are currently worth.

• First generation iPhone from 2007 auctioned: expected to fetch $50,000

With the rainbow apple of the Apple logo on the tongue and off to the side, the white sneakers were made especially for the company's employees as a one-of-a-kind gift at a National Sales Conference in the mid-1990s.

"As it never reached the general public, this particular pair of sneakers is one of the most mysterious in existence," Sotheby's said in its catalog.

Although tennis production is somewhat unusual for Apple, in 1986 the brand launched a range of clothing and accessories called "The Apple Collection," which included mugs, umbrellas, handbags, key chains and even a sailboat, all adorned with the rainbow logo, according to a catalog published that year. The year before, 22,000 people bought Apple T-shirts from the company.

advertising

The sneakers come with red laces on the box. (Courtesy of Sotheby's)

These were known as "white label products," manufactured by a third-party company such as Lamy, Honda, or Braun, but sold by Apple under its own branding and logo.

The size 10.5 sneakers are new, come in their box and come with a pair of red laces, Sotherby's said, though they show some signs of aging, such as yellowing around the midsoles and glue, as well as slight markings on the tips.

• Apple's first computer up for auction

Sneakers aren't the first old Apple product to sell for a staggering sum in recent months.

A first-edition iPhone from 2007 sold for more than $190,000 at auction last month, far exceeding estimates, while a pair of old Birkenstock sandals, owned by late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, sold for $200,000 at auction in November 2022.

AppleSotheby'sAuction