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Child's Shoe

1680-1699 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

(original 1913 register entry) "Child's shoe of cream-coloured satin, decorated with applied narrow silk braid of the same colour. From Wardour Castle, Wiltshire. Pointed toe, large tongue with small buckle straps, flat sole of soft leather. The upper and back-piece are braided in straight diagonal lines. Lined with woollen fabric. Probably the shoe for the right foot." [In fact shoes at this date were made as 'straights' with no left and right. An adult by habitual wear might shape a shoe to his or her right and left foot, but it is unlikely that this would happen with a fabric shoe for a child of this age, nor is there so far any evidence that an adult carer would try to follow consistent usage in this way when dressing the child.]


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Satin trimmed with silk braid; leather
Brief description
Braided ivory-coloured satin shoe for a young child; made in England, 1680-1699
Physical description
(original 1913 register entry) "Child's shoe of cream-coloured satin, decorated with applied narrow silk braid of the same colour. From Wardour Castle, Wiltshire. Pointed toe, large tongue with small buckle straps, flat sole of soft leather. The upper and back-piece are braided in straight diagonal lines. Lined with woollen fabric. Probably the shoe for the right foot." [In fact shoes at this date were made as 'straights' with no left and right. An adult by habitual wear might shape a shoe to his or her right and left foot, but it is unlikely that this would happen with a fabric shoe for a child of this age, nor is there so far any evidence that an adult carer would try to follow consistent usage in this way when dressing the child.]
Dimensions
  • Length: 4 3/8in
(from original 1913 register entry)
Credit line
Given by Lady Arundell
Object history
Part of a group of objects (T.105 to 117-1913) given by Lady Arundell of Wardour (RF: 1913/ 2701). (from original register entry for the first object) The collection of costume accessories was introduced to the notice of the museum by Mrs Hungerford Pollen, on behalf of Lady Arundell. In a letter addressed to the Director on 19th June, 1913, Lady Arundel said "...the collection of costume accessories which were found in a dry well at Old Wardour Castle and are said to have been placed there during the siege. This at least is what I learned from Lord Arundell who was always accurate, but I canot say at this moment whether he had documentary evidence for this tradition..."
Collection
Accession number
T.116-1913

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Record createdJuly 1, 2009
Record URL
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