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/122044/9798317900854Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistoryBuy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nickengvallEarly Access, Exclusive Videos, and Content On Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistorySubscribe to The Sneaker Newsletter on Substack: https://www.thesneakernewsletter.comJoin the Sole Collector Community: https://solecollector.orgIf you are interested in advertising to our audience, contact us: podcast@sneakerhistory.comCHECK OUT OUR OTHER SHOWS:For the Formula 1 Fans - Exhaust Notes: https://exhaustnotes.fmFor the Fitted Hat Fans - Crown and Stitch: https://crownandstitch.comFor the Cars & Sneakers Fans - Cars & Kicks: https://carsxkicks.comFor 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=sneakerhistoryHosted & Distributed By Captivate: https://bit.ly/3j2muPbGET IN TOUCH:Robbie - robbie@sneakerhistory.comMike - mike@sneakerhistory.comRohit - rohit@sneakerhistory.comNick - nick@sneakerhistory.comDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/