Tatar boots that dates centuries back can be found in the collections of many prominent museums. There, the boots are labeled as originated from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Crimea, Russia, Indonesia, Ukraine, Georgia, Asia, Europe. Although those labels specify the area the boots came from, they do not always accuretly credit the authorship of the unique craftsmanship and technique of the exquisite leatherwork: The boots were created using leather mosaic technique developed and mastered by Volga (Kazan) Tatars. The craftsmanship of Tatar boots was prominent and in demand in 18-early 20th centuries: The trade of Tatar boots was profitable, thus the production of those spread from Kazan-surrounding areas to Central Asia, Siberia, Eastern Europe. Currently, the authentic Tatar boots are produced only in small batches in Kazan suburbs by private individuals and state-owned company “Sahtian”.
Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The British Museum
London, United Kingdom
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Pennsylvania, Philadeplhia, USA
State National Museum in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia.
Kuntzkamera
Saint Petersburg, Russia
New York, USA
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Victoria and Albert Museum
London, United Kingdom
The biggest collection of Tatar boots are located at “Shoes or No Shoes” Museum in Belgium.
- Tartar boots dated 1582
- Bata Shoes Museum
