Vintage Liberty Day of the Dead Hand-Tooled Skull Mules
Size: Women’s 8.5 B
Maker: Liberty Boot Co.
Design: Day of the Dead / All-Over Skull Hand-Tooled
Condition: Good Vintage Condition
The Boots
A jaw-dropping pair of vintage Liberty mules covered in intricate, hand-tooled skulls — a true Day of the Dead masterpiece for the feet. Equal parts Western, rockabilly, and memento-mori art, these slip-on heeled mules are exactly the kind of bold, conversation-starting piece that Liberty became famous for.
The entire upper is hand-tooled in an all-over skull motif: dozens of interlocking skulls carved and burnished into natural tan leather, with the recessed areas dyed deep black to make every cranium, eye socket, and toothy grin pop in high relief. The three-dimensional tooling is remarkable — you can run your fingers over the raised bone-work — and no two skulls are exactly alike. The design wraps completely around each mule, from the snip toe across the vamp and around the heel.
The open-back mule silhouette is finished with a striking red braided leather whipstitch collar that frames the topline in bold contrast, while the snip toe and chunky stacked heel give them genuine cowgirl attitude. Inside, each footbed features Liberty’s signature printed graphic — a vintage-style illustration with little blue stars — a charming detail that confirms the maker and adds to the collectibility. The interior is stamped with the size “8½ B” and style number.
Liberty Boot Co.
Liberty Boot Company built a devoted following for fearless, artistic Western footwear — bold colors, intricate tooling, and designs that pushed cowboy boots into the realm of wearable art. Their skull and Day of the Dead pieces are among the most sought-after in the vintage market, prized by collectors, rockabilly and tattoo-culture fans, and anyone who wants footwear with serious edge and personality. Liberty’s hand-tooled work like this is increasingly hard to find.
Condition
These mules are in good vintage condition with honest wear. The hand-tooled skull leather is intact and the tooling remains crisp and dimensional throughout, with a beautiful broken-in patina. The red braided collar is secure and vibrant. The snip toes show some scuffing at the tips, and the leather soles show wear from use (see photos), with the stacked heels showing scuffing and intact rubber heel caps. The printed footbed graphics are present and clear. Overall a well-loved, beautifully artistic pair with plenty of life left.
