Tatar boots (also Kazan boots, ichigi, chiteck) that date centuries back can be found in the collections of many prominent museums. There, the boots are labeled as originated from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Crimea, Russia, Indonesia, Ukraine, Georgia, Asia, Europe.

Although the museums label those boots in accordance with the area the boots came from to their collections, those labels do not always accurately credit the authorship of the unique craftsmanship and technique of the exquisite leatherwork: The boots had been created using unique 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 and popularity spread from Kazan-surrounding areas to Central Asian, Siberia, Eastern Europe.

Currently, the authentic hand-made Tatar boots with exceptional and hand-stitched patterns are produced only in a very small batches in Kazan metro area (Tatarstan, Russia) by small number of private companies in the same manner (but in a much much smaller scale) as hand-tooled and inlaid cowboy boots are produced in USA and Mexico. The hope is that Tatar boots regain popularity within broader audience that will value and celebrate craftsmanship, cultural roots and functional beauty!

State National Museum in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia hosts the biggest Tatar boots collection

The biggest collection of Tatar boots outside of Tatarstan is located at “Shoes or No Shoes” Museum in Belgium.

• Bata Shoes Museum has a pair of Tatar boots that is not on current display in the museum
• Replication of Tartar boots (dated 1557-1587) has been housed at Livrustkammaren museum in Sweden as of 2009.