I think I sold the Shoes of St. Rilms, and now I need them for a quest. Oops....

Short of visiting every merchant in the game, is there any way to find a specific item? I realize I can make another copy with a console command, but I'd prefer to actually track these shoes down--if it is possible.

What really bugs me is that I usually sell that type of item to only two merchants (on in Balmora and one in Caldera). But they don't have them. I cleaned Ald Sotha out so long ago, I can't remember what I did with the shoes.

I would say find the merchants with the money to afford them. However the Shoes only have a price tag of 500 drakes. A lot of Merchants can afford that price.
Since Ald Sotha is so near Vivec, I'll bet you sold them to a Vivec merchant. Check them out first.
Good hunting.

EDIT: I would try the enchanters in the Foreign Quarter and the Telvanni Canton first.

Thanks for your advice. Fortunately, I wasn't that thorough the first (or second) time through Ald Sotha, and missed the chest the shoes were in. I went back in a third time and found them.

Thanks again.

there are various console commands that u can use to make the item re-appear...if u are on a console (xbox...etc.) then the only way to get the item back is to actually find it. Go back to the vendor, usually clothing items will be equipped on the vedor, if not then it should be somewhere in the shop..trunks, chests, back rooms, basemants, etc...just keep looking

If your vendors are wearing things you sold them, then you haven't applied the Morrowind Patch Project. You should, because it fixes more stuff than you could ever realize.