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🥾 Bunion relief tool 🥾 - $100 (Allied Gardens)
Loukelton Circle
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- How it worked:
- The ball end was inserted into the shoe at the trouble spot.
- The looped handle allowed the cobbler to apply leverage and pressure.
- The tool would push outward from the inside, reshaping the leather to reduce friction and pain.
- Who used it: Cobblers and shoe repair professionals, especially in the early 1900s when shoes were made of thick leather and custom fitting was common.
🕰️ Historical Context
- Patented in 1897 by Charles L. Passmore of Fulton, Illinois.
- Sold under the brand name Lightning, known for durable cast iron tools.
- These tools were part of a cobbler’s kit alongside wooden shoe stretchers and leather softeners.
🧭 Identifying Features
- Embossed with “LIGHTNING” and “FULTON ILL” on one handle.
- Other side reads “PAT OCT 12 97”.
- Typically made of cast iron, about 15–17 inches long, with a ball tip and ring handle.