Pair of Shoes thumbnail 1
Pair of Shoes thumbnail 2
Not on display

Pair of Shoes

1820-1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The elegant flat satin lady's slipper first became popular in England 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 of shoes is a typical example of that style. The thin leather sole and delicately hand-stitched satin uppers were relatively simple and cheap to produce. They could then be customised either by the retailer or the owner with rosettes, ankle ties or other decorative embellishments.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Shoe
  • Shoe
Materials and techniques
Satin, with silk ribbon, cotton and leather with elastic and sewn with cotton thread
Brief description
Pair of shoes, F, English, 1820-1850; white satin with white silk bow
Physical description
Cream satin upper with cream silk bow decoration; square toe and throat, pair of folded seams, cream cotton bound edges and looped elastic sewn near to seams; cream leather insole and sock, cream cotton lining; brown leather sole; inscribed '3/1' and '7' on the inner side of the leather sock on both shoes.
Dimensions
  • Both shoes height: 5cm
  • Both shoes width: 6cm
  • Both shoes length: 24.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
Inscribed '3/1' and '7' on the inner side of the sock on both shoes
Credit line
Given by Messrs Harrods Ltd.
Summary
The elegant flat satin lady's slipper first became popular in England 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 of shoes is a typical example of that style. The thin leather sole and delicately hand-stitched satin uppers were relatively simple and cheap to produce. They could then be customised either by the retailer or the owner with rosettes, ankle ties or other decorative embellishments.
Collection
Accession number
T.547&A-1913

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Record createdOctober 29, 2008
Record URL
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