European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 11, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Museums stripes photos Pettigrew Royal chinese Shadow puppet Pagoda with movable the puppets Are Cut from unmanned Kin game Offenbach museum tells the history of leather by Laura Brown staff writer a collection of North american Indian weapons and bags All made of leather is housed in a museum near Frankfurt that boasts one of the finest collection of leather objects in the the German leather and shoe museum in Offenbach holds three floors of leather crafted the collection includes european jewelry Eskimo african mexican saddles and chinese Shadow the shoe museum Section contains the largest footwear collection in the oldest egyptian Date to around the time of the a 1982 leather has a solar celled lock system and digital leather Doest said Renate curator of the roman ships that Sank in the main River were just dug up and the leather is just As it should the of will have have to be oiled to make it supple museum employees apply Oil to the other exhibits once or twice a year to preserve known As the Center of the German leather has been the site of the International leather fair for 150 leather skin softened and preserved through tanning is one of a collection of Eskimo leather objects ranging from kayaks to clothing Are on one part of the museums shoe the Longtoe shoes were characteristic of 15thcentury the oldest materials known to the museum was established in 1917 to collect leather objects from different eras and regions of the Wente Lukas said the North american Indian collection is one of the most popular exhibits with they can see Iroquois a commanche chiefs feathered headdress and leather bags made by the the curator acquired some of the pieces by trading european leathers to Canadian museums that have Large Indian the Tours she conducts explain the importance of Buffalo leather to tribes of the North american Plains who had no knowledge of pottery or Indian women tanned the leather with animal brains and sewed pieces together to make blankets and the women often used Porcupine quills to paint or embroider the the museum also contains a Large room of Shadow puppets from Greece and the delicately Cut from unmanned water Buffalo were used in theatrical performances during marriages and men standing behind a lit up screen moved the figures joints with Bamboo Sticks to orchestra the fashioned after warriors and Range in height from several inches to More than five Wente Lukas said experts from China were invited to the museum several years ago to More accurately Date the puppet they knew what character each puppet was supposed to she and they found out that Heads were with the wrong bodies and arms and legs were attached in the wrong the shoe museum traces the development of footwear from the typical of hot to the used by mounted dutch wooden tiny Oriental slippers and 1970s platform shoes Are also an acquires pieces through private by trading with other museums and by buying from dealers such As three years the museum was enlarged and new showcases but Wente Lukas said the Market for most antique leather is nearly and she Doest anticipate greatly enlarging the the High Cost of pieces is also a a leather drum from Mexico can Cost As much As the at Frankfurter Strasse is open 10 to 5 Tours in English for students and adults should be arranged before the Telephone july stripes Magazine 17