Shoes - some people love them and collect them by the dozens, other view them as practical footwear. Whatever your view on shoes, footwear has been around for a long time. From the 17th century through the 19th century shoemakers and cobblers were two separate occupations. Shoemakers, or cordwainers as they were once known, made shoes from new leather. Cobblers repaired shoes and they were not allowed to use new leather. By the middle of the 19th century, industrialization forced the two occupations into one.
Shoe lasts are the mold upon which a shoe is constructed. This last is made of cast iron and the foot piece is removable. It can be lifted off and turned to make the opposite shoe. This last is an Eclipse brand last that originally came with four different sized feet. It was patented May 1, 1894 by John Kupferle, St. Louis, Missouri. To keep the family in shoes, lasts such as this one was common in large households.