Pair of mule style shoes with wooden soles

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A pair of mule-or slipper-style shoes with wooden soles and leather uppers. The soles are shaped for the left (a) and right (b) feet. The shoes have rounded toes and carved, slightly raised heels. The shoes have a vamp only, so that the leather would not fully enclose the wearer's foot. Each vamp is made from a single piece of leather that doubles over at the point where the upper attaches to the sole, as well as at the foot opening, for extra strength. The vamps are pegged to the wooden soles with metal pegs. The shoes slip onto the wearers foot and do not have any closure methods.

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