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"  Valued at: $250  Made in China in 1946 (the Year of the Dog, as is 2006), these children&amp;#039;s shoes were meant to protect the young child who wore them from evil spirits. The large button eyes and ears were supposed to see and hear the spirits. The shoes are in perfect condition, appearing to have never been worn (note the clarity of the blue flower on the sole, above). They are made of quilted silk, appliqued felt, silk thread, and rabbit fur.  What is it? For hundreds of years, there have been children&amp;#039;s shoes, hats, collars, and vests that featured Chinese zodiac animals. They were thought to assure a child longevity, wealth, success in school, and good luck. According to Glenn Roberts, one of the world&amp;#039;s leading collectors and historians of Chinese clothing, children&amp;#039;s shoes of this style were meant to be worn every day outdoors, despite their fanciful and delicate detailing.  What to look for: Chinese children&amp;#039;s shoes can be found in other animal forms depicting one of the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac -- the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog (shown), and pig. &amp;quot;Collectors try to find garments in good condition, which is difficult because articles of clothing were never meant to be saved or collected,&amp;quot; says Roberts. Examples abound in U.S. venues, especially on the West Coast. *The estimates provided are preliminary only and subject to change based on firsthand inspection and further research. Appraisal prices refer to an item&amp;#039;s fair market value, or what one might expect to pay for an object of similar age, size, color, and condition at auction. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.countryliving.com/shopping/antiques/a430/chinese-children-shoes-0306/>