Oxford wingtip shoes worn by Melvin Van Peebles

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 brown and white Imperial Biltrite Oxford wingtip shoes worn by Melvin Van Peebles. The quarter and vamp are made from white leather, and the toe cap and counter are made from brown leather. The shoes feature a decorative design of punched leather that turns upwards at the center of each toe cap and runs along the vamp, counters, throat line, and quarters. The shoes lace at the center top of each toe cap with brown synthetic corded laces with plastic caps at the end, but the plastic caps are missing from three of the laces. Each outer sole is made from rubber and features a .75” heel. The insoles and interior are made from brown leather with the designer's name [IMPERIAL / BILTRITE] stamped on the insoles near the heel. The designer's name is also molded on the bottom of the heel.

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