Pair of Manchu Leather Ice Shoes

Although Manchu women of the Qing dynasty did not bind their feet, they nevertheless achieved an illusion of small feet by wearing high-platform shoes. Said to have originated when female workers attached blocks of wood to their shoes to protect from snakes, such platform shoes became a fashionable way to emulate popular styles. In addition to adding height, the shoes required women to hold a straight posture and swing their arms to maintain balance, giving them a stately, feminine air. This pair of rustic 19th-century leather and wood shoes from northern China were both elegant and practical, with spiked platforms that enabled women to keep their footing on icy walkways - even in the precarious footwear.