Pair of Shoes
ca. 1925 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The 'Oxford' lace-up shoe was the predominant style in men's footwear during the 1920s. It was known in the trade as a 'closed tab shoe' because the eyelet tabs (the sections of leather with holes for the laces) were stitched under the front section of the shoe, or vamp, rather than on top of it.
Usually Oxfords were made up in black or brown leather for everyday wear. British footwear fashions were conservative during the 1920s with strict rules dictating what colour shoe could be worn with which outfit. Brown shoes with a dinner suit were frowned upon and flamboyance was considered distasteful. The blue and white marbling with gilt decoration of this pair marks them as something out of the ordinary. They were made up for display at the London International Shoe Fair in 1925 and may have been aimed at the American market which was open to more exotic designs.
Usually Oxfords were made up in black or brown leather for everyday wear. British footwear fashions were conservative during the 1920s with strict rules dictating what colour shoe could be worn with which outfit. Brown shoes with a dinner suit were frowned upon and flamboyance was considered distasteful. The blue and white marbling with gilt decoration of this pair marks them as something out of the ordinary. They were made up for display at the London International Shoe Fair in 1925 and may have been aimed at the American market which was open to more exotic designs.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Marbled suede with gilt leather decoration |
| Brief description | Men's Oxford lace-up shoes, blue and white marbled suede with gilt leather decoration; Coxton Shoe Co. Ltd, Rushden, Northamptonshire, ca. 1925 |
| Physical description | Men's Oxford shoes with squared toe, blue and white marbled effect suede upper with gilt leather decoration and dark green stitching; gilt canvas laces; white leather quarter lining, white canvas tongue and vamp lining, brown leather insole; stacked heel, brown leather sole, wheeling at join between heel and sole. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'No. 521 / Shape 63 / Fitting...../ Price G - A / THE / RUSHDEN SHOE CO. / RUSHDEN, England' (Blue card tag hanging from cream cotton thread tied to right shoe lace. Printed and inscribed in black ink on one side.) |
| Gallery label | Label for the exhibition Shoes: Pleasure and Pain
Bold and Brazen
In the 1920s, British footwear fashions for men were conservative and featured sober colours. With their blue and white marbling and gilded decoration, these shoes are far from the norm. They show that there was a younger market for flamboyant footwear. Or they may have been aimed at the American market, which was more open to exotic designs.
Men’s marbled Oxfords
About 1925
England
Coxton Shoe Co. Ltd
Suede, gilded leather and leather
V&A: T.52:1, 2-1996(2015-2016) |
| Object history | Purchased. Registered File number 1994/1603. |
| Summary | The 'Oxford' lace-up shoe was the predominant style in men's footwear during the 1920s. It was known in the trade as a 'closed tab shoe' because the eyelet tabs (the sections of leather with holes for the laces) were stitched under the front section of the shoe, or vamp, rather than on top of it. Usually Oxfords were made up in black or brown leather for everyday wear. British footwear fashions were conservative during the 1920s with strict rules dictating what colour shoe could be worn with which outfit. Brown shoes with a dinner suit were frowned upon and flamboyance was considered distasteful. The blue and white marbling with gilt decoration of this pair marks them as something out of the ordinary. They were made up for display at the London International Shoe Fair in 1925 and may have been aimed at the American market which was open to more exotic designs. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.52:1, 2-1996 |
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| Record created | May 25, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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