Pair of loafers worn and autographed by James Brown
date: label: Date
content: 1970s
name: label: Created by
content: Rossi, Italian, founded 1968
label: Worn by
content: James Brown, American, 1933 - 2006
notes: label: Description
content: A pair of black and cream patent leather loafers signed by James Brown on the top of each shoe in red ink (faded to pink) on the uppers of the toes "James / Brown" on the right shoe and "The / Godfather / of / Soul" on the left. The shoes have black along the bottom of the upper with a cream upper part of the sides of the backs and a cream upper toe and tongue. The foot opening is trimmed in black patent leather. There is a wide black faux strap across the top arch with a decorative metal pin shaped like a buckle affixed at the exterior side over the band. Both shores are stamped in gold "ROSSI / MADE IN ITALY" at the interior heel. The insole is dark tan and reaches only halfway down and has a cushioned heel. Beneath the tongue is a slit in the leather that is connected by a length of wide cream elastic. The soles are leather and the heels are wood painted black with a rubber pad nailed to the bottom. On the bottom of the right shoe in front of the heel there is text handwritten in black ink that reads: "SCENE 2". To the left of this text is a hand-colored black ink rectangle. Below the text is a white round sticker that appears to be missing its top layer. Sizing and other information is stamped on the inner interior side of each upper, but is illegible.
place: label: Place made
content: Milan, Italy, Europe
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Fashion
label: Topic
content: Rhythm and blues (Music)
label: Topic
content: Soul (Music)
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Fashion and Historical
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2012.64.3ab
objectType: label: Type
content: shoes (footwear)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: patent leather with wood, rubber, metal, and elastic
label: Dimensions
content: 2012.64.3a: 3 7/8 x 3 15/16 x 11 7/8 in. (9.8 x 10 x 30.2 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: 2012.64.3b: 3 7/8 x 3 15/16 x 11 7/8 in. (9.8 x 10 x 30.2 cm)