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

Pair of Shoes

1855 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Lucknow (made)

Pair of shoes as worn by the King of Avadh (Oudh). Four gold tassels attached to each shoe.

Object details

Categories
Clothing
Textiles
Costumes
Accessories
India Museum
Object type
Pair of shoes
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Shoe
  • Shoe
Materials and techniques
Silk, gold and silver embroidery and leather
Silk (Textile)
Gold
Silver
Leather
Embroidery
Shoe-Making
Brief description
Pair of shoes, embroidered with gold, Lucknow, 1855
Physical description
Pair of shoes as worn by the King of Avadh (Oudh). Four gold tassels attached to each shoe.
Dimensions
  • Length: 23.5cm
  • Width: 11.75cm
  • Height: 11cm
Gallery label
(2015-2016)
Label for the exhibition Shoes: Pleasure and Pain

Fit for a King
The Museum acquired these shoes in Lucknow, India, in 1855. Their rich embellishment suggests that they might have belonged to the ruler of the Awadh region. The elaborate decoration includes hundreds of sequins. It features a variety of embroidery techniques using twisted and coiled gilded silver and silver wires, as well as large gilded silver tassels. The courtly tradition of finely embellished shoes eventually spread to a wider market.
Men’s mojari
1800–55
India
Leather, cotton, silk, silver and gilded silver thread embroidery
Possibly owned by the Nawab of Awadh
V&A: 0515&A(IS)
Object history
On display in the V&A exhibition, Shoes: Pleasure and Pain between 13 June 2015 – 31 January 2016. Transferred from the India Museum in 1879. 1880 Register Entry: [Case 17] '0515. SHOES. Pair of, embroidered with gold (as worn by the King of Lucknow). 8217'. Slip book entry 8218: 'Pair of Shoes as Worn by the King of Oudh / 4 Gold Tassels attached to each shoe / Lucknow / 55'
Other number
8217 - India Museum Slip Book
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
0515&A/(IS)

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O439180/pair-of-shoes-unknown/
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