Pair of Shoes thumbnail 1
Pair of Shoes thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Pair of Shoes

1720s-1730s (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Ladies could have worn richly trimmed or embroidered shoes such as these with several different garments. Indoor shoes for women were usually made of patterned silk although it was very rare for them to match the fabric of the gown worn with them. The criss-cross and parallel lines of embroidery look like the designs on quilted petticoats that women wore with the fashionable open-fronted gowns. Broad bands of silver-gilt braid became popular in the 1730s and 1740s. These shoes would have been fastened with a buckle. The toe curves upwards rather like the prow of a ship.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Shoe
  • Shoe
Materials and techniques
Silk, leather, wood, silver-gilt; hand-woven and hand-stitched
Brief description
A pair of women's shoes, 1720-40, British; Embroidered pink satin with applied silver-gilt braid, heeled
Physical description
A pair of women's shoes of pink satin with medium heel and upwards pointed, curving toe. The quarters and sides of the upper are embroidered with blanket stitch in parallel lines echoing the shape of the shoe. A wide strip of woven lace (braid) with yellow silk warp and silver-gilt thread weft is applied on the centre of the upper. The sole is brown leather and the wooden heel is covered with the pink satin, embroidered in satin stitch in a diaper pattern. The edges of the upper and quarter are bound with pink silk grosgrain ribbon. The tongue is lined with yellow silk taffeta. The latchets have no eyelets or holes for ribbon and appear too short for buckles.
Credit line
Given by Miss C. E. Keddle
Summary
Ladies could have worn richly trimmed or embroidered shoes such as these with several different garments. Indoor shoes for women were usually made of patterned silk although it was very rare for them to match the fabric of the gown worn with them. The criss-cross and parallel lines of embroidery look like the designs on quilted petticoats that women wore with the fashionable open-fronted gowns. Broad bands of silver-gilt braid became popular in the 1730s and 1740s. These shoes would have been fastened with a buckle. The toe curves upwards rather like the prow of a ship.
Collection
Accession number
230&A-1908

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Record createdFebruary 19, 2003
Record URL
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