Herbert Levine High-Heel Shoe (Right Shoe)

(shown here with accompanying left shoe)

Accession Number: CR.447.68.1b


Label: Herbert Levine, 8 1/2AAA 8625


This is a woman’s high-heel shoe made from black suede. The pointed toe is tipped with a small piece of grey leather. There is a grey leather bow attached to the toe of the shoe. The inside of the show is lined with soft grey leather.

During the deconstruction the bow was detached. The body of the shoe was cut in half and the front portion was severed from the sole. A thin fabric batting was found between the outside suede and the inside leather and this was removed.

The following parts were salvaged from a worn-out watchband: a tang-type buckle, two removable spring pins, and two small plastic tubes. Using the remains of this band, a pattern was drafted. A thin layer of glue was applied between the outside suede and inside leather, and the two were bonded together. Pieces were cut for both the buckle end and tongue end of the strap. On the tongue end, one end of the grey leather was separated from the suede, cut off, and discarded. A salvaged plastic tube was placed at the cut end of the suede and the remaining flap of suede was folded over it. The flap was glued into place. A running stitch was hand sewn around the outside edge of the tongue portion using grey silk thread. Several holes were pierced though the tongue. A salvaged spring pin was inserted through the glued-in plastic tube and this pin was used to attach the tongue portion of the strap to the lugs on one side of the watch face. The bow was untied. From it, two small strips were fashioned and these were formed into loops that were both glued and sewn. On both ends of the buckle portion of the strap the grey leather was separated from the suede, trimmed, and discarded. On one end, a salvaged tube was placed, the suede was wrapped around it, and both were glued into place. At the other end, a slit was made in the suede and the buckle tang was threaded through. One of the two leather loops was threaded onto the buckle piece of the strap and positioned near the buckle. The suede was wrapped around the buckle, over the loop, and glued into place. A running stitch was hand sewn around the outside edge of the buckle portion using grey silk thread. The remaining leather loop was threaded onto the buckle portion of the strap. The remaining spring pin was inserted into the rubber tube and used to secure the buckle portion of the strap to the lugs on the other side of the watch face.

The accession number was painted onto the second leather loop.

(The watchband is shown here with accompanying left shoe)