Chinese Toggle Depicting Shoes

Smooth, nearly plain pair with a single banded line around the sole.

This toggle depicting shoes is from China, and dates to the 19th century. It is wood. Because traditional robes had no pockets, small items were hung from the belt, and the toggle kept the cord from slipping through the sash. Two blunt shoe shapes pressed together, with shallow rectangular openings and a round carved mark near one toe. A thin groove circles the sides and a tiny pinprick dot sits near the front. The surface is a deep, even brown. It is 1 inches wide, 1.5 deep and 1 high.

Minimal ornament, maximum cuddle factor.