Not currently on display at the V&A

Shoe

ca. 1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The elegant flat satin lady's slipper first became popular in England and France during the last decade of the eighteenth century. Its plain design was part of the movement in fashion away from what were considered by some to be the extravagant excesses of the late eighteenth century. The move was towards a simpler, purer style of dress and footwear that was influenced by designs from classical antiquity.

Slippers, or 'sandal shoes', continued to be worn well into the mid-century although by the 1850s they were used mainly for formal wear in black or white. This pair is a typical example of that style. The thin leather sole and delicately hand-stitched uppers were relatively simple and cheap to produce. The small black bow at the throat was a standard feature put there by the manufacturer which was often later covered up by more elaborate decoration according to the tastes of the retailer or owner. Other surviving examples of sandal shoes customised with rosettes, bows and ribbon ankle ties are evidence of this.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Satin, leather and linen sewn with cotton thread, edged with silk ribbon
Brief description
F, Black satin heeless shoe; Jeanneau, Herve & Cie, Paris, about 1850
Physical description
Black satin heelless ladies slipper; square toe and throat, black satin upper with pair of forward-slanting side seams; edges bound with black silk ribbon, tiny black silk ribbon at throat, black cotton string-pulls; the whole stitched with black thread; looped black cotton ankle tie; cream leather insole and quarter lining, cream linen vamp lining, brown leather sole.
Dimensions
  • Height: 4.2cm
  • Width: 5.6cm
  • Length: 23.4cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • sole stamped '19' at waist just above maker's mark, 'JEANNEAU / HERVE & CIE / PARIS'
  • Sole inscribed at toe, '186' in black ink, italic script
  • Insole inscribed in black ink, '36= / 26='
Summary
The elegant flat satin lady's slipper first became popular in England and France during the last decade of the eighteenth century. Its plain design was part of the movement in fashion away from what were considered by some to be the extravagant excesses of the late eighteenth century. The move was towards a simpler, purer style of dress and footwear that was influenced by designs from classical antiquity.

Slippers, or 'sandal shoes', continued to be worn well into the mid-century although by the 1850s they were used mainly for formal wear in black or white. This pair is a typical example of that style. The thin leather sole and delicately hand-stitched uppers were relatively simple and cheap to produce. The small black bow at the throat was a standard feature put there by the manufacturer which was often later covered up by more elaborate decoration according to the tastes of the retailer or owner. Other surviving examples of sandal shoes customised with rosettes, bows and ribbon ankle ties are evidence of this.
Collection
Accession number
MISC.41-1920

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Record createdNovember 5, 2008
Record URL
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