Man's Shoes

Dateabout 1840-1850

MediumHand-carved wood and hand-stitched leather with hair stuffing, with iron nails and wooden pegs

DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width x depth): 4 3/8 x 4 3/8 x 12 1/4in. (11.1 x 11.1 x 31.1cm)

ClassificationsCostume

Credit LineGift of Elizabeth Hicks

Object number1953.23.0a,b

DescriptionCarved wooden shoes, painted black, boat-shaped, with up-turned square toes and a low heel. The shoes are each scored with a line around the base to suggest that they have a separate sole. The back of shoe ".b" is covered with dark leather. A strip of leather crosses the top of each shoe for the purpose of comfort, so that in walking the ankle would not rub on a hard wooden edge. This strip, which is stuffed with hair (?) and backed also with leather, is nailed to the bottom sides of the shoe and stitched across the top of the shoe through holes drilled into the wood. The backs of the shoes in the heel area are lined with leather, which is nailed in place on shoe ".a" and glued on shoe ".b." Shoe ".a" has a small rounded leather patch extending from under the leather strip on top of the shoe and nailed into the wood. The wooden heels are patched with pegged leather where they have worn down. These wooden shoes were carved to accomodate a left and right foot; shoe ".a" is for the left foot, and ".b" is for the right.

Status

Not on view