Chinese Toggle Depicting Shoes with Cat Motif

Two small black shoes tied together by a cord, ready for a very short walk.

This wood toggle depicting shoes with a cat motif is from China, and dates to the 19th century. Cats appear in Chinese painting and decorative arts, and the word for cat is sometimes read as a pun connected with long life. A pair of low, rounded shoes in matte black, joined at the heel by a thin dark cord. The uppers carry faint relief designs of leafy or animal forms, and the soles curve gently at the toe. It is 0.75 inches wide and 2 deep.

Sensible footwear for a very small, very formal outing.