“As an artist, we need a certificate of authenticity to connect to the art. NFTs act as a certificate of authenticity and create value and legacy,” said Jerome Baker Designs Founder and President Jason Harris.
Las Vegas-based glass pipe maker to the stars Jerome Baker Designs will launch a series of bong-related NFTs tied to corresponding physical assets early next month.
The NFTs, on FDCTech’s Ethereum-based platform, depict the unique glassblowing process for each bong and come with additional unique benefits. They are due to drop on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 13) and the corresponding physical bongs will be auctioned off at Superchief Gallery.
Jerome Baker Designs Founder and President Jason Harris is considered to be one of the top ten glassblowers in the world, according to smoking products marketplace SLX.
He founded the business in the early 1990s and has built custom-made pieces for celebrities such as Snoop Dogg, George Clooney, Grateful Dead, Santana and Rita Marley.
He told Cointelegraph he is excited to step into the world of crypto-driven digital art.
“As an artist, we need a certificate of authenticity to connect to the art. NFTs act as a certificate of authenticity and create value and legacy.”
According to Harris, while other forms of art like sculptures can be bronzed and paintings replicated or copied, glassblowing is a one-time effort that cannot be replicated.
“You will have a documented experience of the creation of that artwork and in that lay the magic. It’s like buying a pair of Jordans. If you ever want to sell them, you might need the packaging in perfect condition. The NFT acts as a certificate of authentication and the artwork acts as the package.”
Harris said the five bong NFTs to launch on Super Bowl Sunday will be in line with his Burnt Orange collection, a collection of translucent bright orange glass bongs.
Those who own a bong NFT will receive real world benefits such as glassblowing classes and a visit to the Las Vegas Dream Factory (Jerome Baker Designs Headquarters).
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This is not Jerome Baker Designs first foray into blockchain and the studio has been accepting Bitcoin since 2012. Harris believes that the global population will soon jump on the bandwagon and accept the crypto asset for payments. The company plans on accepting Ethereum payments shortly.
