Shoe thumbnail 1
Shoe thumbnail 2
+9
images
Not currently on display at the V&A

Shoe

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 plain black or brown leather for everyday wear. British footwear fashions were conservative during the 1920s with strict rules dictating what shoe could be worn with which outfit. Brown shoes with a dinner suit were frowned upon and any kind of flamboyance was considered distasteful. These elegant black and gold shoes 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
Materials and techniques
Stitched leather and canvas with nailed heel and cord laces
Brief description
Man's lace-up Oxford shoe, black leather with gilt leather decoration, Coxton Shoe Co. Ltd, Rushden, Northamptonshire, ca. 1925
Physical description
Man's Oxford lace-up shoe; black leather with gold leather decoration on toe-cap, vamp and quarters; rounded toe, five eyelets, black cord laces with ends bound with metal, black stitching; stacked heel, nailed, wheeling at join with brown leather sole; sole wheeled all the way round approx 0.5cm from edge and also across waist; sole edges chamfered; black leather lining on quarters, grey twill lining at vamp, brown leather insole.
Dimensions
  • Length: 28.5cm
  • Width: 9.5cm
  • Height: 10cm
Marks and inscriptions
Pink card tag hanging from white string tied to laces. Printed and inscribed on one side in black ink, 'No. 813 / Shape 1161 / Fitting.... / Price DOM / THE / COXTON SHOE CO. / RUSHDEN, England'
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 plain black or brown leather for everyday wear. British footwear fashions were conservative during the 1920s with strict rules dictating what shoe could be worn with which outfit. Brown shoes with a dinner suit were frowned upon and any kind of flamboyance was considered distasteful. These elegant black and gold shoes 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.59-1996

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdMay 25, 2007
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest