30 years ago.

And one of the reasons# why he bought the shoes for me is,## was bicentennial time.

My husband# and I did living history, and he## bought them for me so he could use them# to make me a pair of 18th-century shoes.

APPRAISER: Did the shoes he# make look anything like this?

GUEST: They were a lot bigger.

(both laugh) AP when you look at this shoe, you think,# "Oh, But the foot actually comes out# significantly ov GUEST: That's true.

GUEST: Okay.

they have a little history that comes with the GUEST: When I got the shoes home APPRAISER: Uh-huh.

GU APPRAISER: Mm-hmm.

the collector for the port of the city of New# Haven, and George Washington came to New Haven,## and was anxious as to who he was going# to bring to the grand ball and dance... APPRAISER: Uh-huh.

and, as the history says, these# slippers were worn by his daughter.

APPRAISER: Well, you know, we're never# gonna know if that story is true or not.

GUEST: That's true.

because of the heel.

The way that it's shaped,# and this, this shape was popular in a 1787.

One of the things that was made in the# United States in the 18th century were shoes,## and shoes were made in Connecticut.

They were# made in New Haven, they were made in Bridgeport,## they were made in Waterbury.

They're# really very simple.

They have a linen## lining.

They're silk on the outside, and they# have these flaps, and your foot an d I think you know this about them--# there's not a right and a left foot.

GUEST: Right.

buckle, but it's pretty easy to find an# 18th-century buckle to go on this shoe.

And whi many of the clothes that we find that survive of# the 18th century are English, there's really a## good chance that these are American.

It's a nice# thing to think about, that maybe this girl did## wear them when she danced with George Washington.# Now, you paid $50 for them 30 years ago.

GUEST: Right.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: Condition is GUEST: Oh.

they'd probably be worth upwards of $15,000.

GUEST: Wow.

APPRAISER: (chuckling)