The ‘beetle’ boot jack is an old tool that aids in the removal of shoes. It is made in the form of a solid-cast stylized beetle with massive curved ‘antennae’ and six legs, which extend towards the head. The beetle’s “wings, ” with a ribbed surface, are folded on the back. There is a small through hole in the front, on the back. The boot jack was made at the Kasli iron plant in the early 20th century.

One had to stand on the “back” of the boot jack with one foot, and place the heel of the other foot between the “antennae” of the beetle, hooking the back of the shoe. This tool made it possible to easily and quickly take off one’s shoes without even bending over. The ribbed surface of the ‘wings’ was used to remove dried mud from the soles.

The owners of this boot jack may have bought it at the Nevyansk fair or at the market. Here large fairs were held twice a year, and markets were organized every week on Sundays. Not only local residents visited them, but also people from various cities of the Urals and Siberia. Among other goods, the products of the Kasli plant were often found.

The Kasli cast-iron and iron plant was founded by the Tula merchant Yakov Korobkov in 1747. In 1751, it was acquired by the Demidovs. By that time, Kasli cast iron products were well-known in Europe and Asia. The next owner of the plant was merchant Lev Rastorguyev, who purchased it for 700,000 roubles.

The 1860s–1890s saw the heyday of Kasli cast iron art. During this period, the Kasli plant received the Small Gold Medal of the Free Economic Society; its products were displayed at exhibitions in Saint Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Paris, London, and other cities of the world. For the Paris International Exhibition of Applied Arts in 1900, the masters of the factory cast a huge cast-iron palace pavilion in the Byzantine style. The central element of the pavilion was the sculpture ‘Russia’, which depicted a warrior woman, protecting the world and ready for new victories. The pavilion was recognized as a masterpiece of foundry art and received the highest award, the Grand Prix.