Not necessarily for shoes, just for putting eyelets in things in general. I think this is their first tool, a Combination punch and eyelet tool", it is mentioned around the right time frame(1865 exhibition), tho I have not been able to find a patent. The Eyelet tool co also made a number of other odd tools including a double eyelet tool for repairing the tab on the end of steel tape measures (~1913), and a weird combination tool that allowed you to hook a gallon paint can to the side of your roof or balance it on a ladder rung (they don't say exactly why you would want to do such a dumb thing)....