The Art of Taking Sneakers Apart

Mike sits down with Al Baker, the artist behind Deadstock Anatomies, for a Coffee Time Kicks conversation about turning sneakers into framed art pieces inspired by entomology, the science of pinning insects. Al breaks down how a wife's passion for bug collecting led to taking apart a Jordan 1 and never looking back, the time he split a Red October down the middle and made $6,000 doing it, why the Reebok Above the Rim line still has him hunting Poshmark for old Steve Francis ATRs, and what it felt like to hand A'ja Wilson a piece made from her own signature shoe. Plus, the daily-driver Mars Yards he can't stop wearing, why he stopped chasing hypebeast clients, and the grail Jordan 1 he's still trying to track down in a wearable size. Find Al on Instagram at @DeadstockAnatomies or at dsanatomies.com . Subscribe to Sneaker History wherever you listen, and follow along at SneakerHistory.com. SUPPORT THE SHOW: Two decades in this industry. Hundreds of episodes. Zero corporate overlords. If the show adds something to your day, here's how to keep it going... Pre-Order Nick's Book "Small Luxuries: Sneakers" (Motorbooks, October 2026): https://bookshop.org/a/122044/9798317900854 Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistory Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nickengvall Early Access, Exclusive Videos, and Content On Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistory Subscribe to The Sneaker Newsletter on Substack: https://www.thesneakernewsletter.com Join the Sole Collector Community: https://solecollector.org If you are interested in advertising to our audience, contact us: podcast@sneakerhistory.com CHECK OUT OUR OTHER SHOWS: For the Formula 1 Fans - Exhaust Notes: https://exhaustnotes.fm For the Fitted Hat Fans - Crown and Stitch: https://crownandstitch.com For the Cars & Sneakers Fans - Cars & Kicks: https://carsxkicks.com For the Creators & Creatives - Outside The Box: https://podcasts.apple.com/id/podcast/outside-the-box-convos-with-creators/id1050172106 [Links contain affiliate links; we may receive a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. A great way to support the pod!] —––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—–––– Our podcast is proudly... Recorded on Riverside: http://www.riverside.fm/?via=sneakerhistory Hosted & Distributed By Captivate: https://bit.ly/3j2muPb GET IN TOUCH: Robbie - <a href="mailto:robbie@sneakerhisto