- Museum number
- Eu.4241.a-b
- Description
-
Shoe with clog-soled overshoe or galosh, leather, woman's shoe (a), the upper made of pale cream kid leather, unlined, with high heel and square overhanging toe, entirely hand sewn, the front decorated with a line of cut star-shaped holes up the centre, with a pattern of tiny slashes either side and round the back of the heel; vertical side seam aligned with heel breast, cut away open sides. A row of tunnel stitching along top inside edge of heel and latchets and across the side seam, to prevent stretching and tears. The high tongue pierced with four holes, with two narrow latchet ties extending from heel, to tie over and through the holes on the tongue, using the two upper tongue holes and laces. The two lower holes on the tongue would have been for the attachment of a decorative bow or rose, the front left plain without pierced work where the bow or rose would sit. Leather sole, with central crease and lasting nail-holes, attached with white kid rand. Heel of wood covered with the same pale kid leather, the top piece (covering of base of heel) missing, revealing the fibre thread stitching of the sole and the hole to fix the top piece.
The clog-soled overshoe (b) formed of wood base covered with leather top and bottom, with silk velvet (?) fabric at the sides, the vamp upper made of black silk velvet lined with leather. The heel socket of the overshoe cut away to accommodate the heel, with hole in centre.
- Production date
- 1610 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 20.80 centimetres (patten)
-
Length: 24 centimetres (shoe)
-
Width: 7 centimetres (patten, approx)
-
Width: 6 centimetres (shoe, at toe)
- Curator's comments
- Described in the Christy slip catalogue as "Old English ?".
This is an expensive shoe and a rare survival. It served a similar function to the slap-sole shoe: this had an extended sole, not attached to the heel, which slapped against the heel as the wearer walked along. The purpose was to prevent the high heel sinking into the mud (see www.northampton.gov.uk then select shoe collection, then highlights). Instead of a slap-sole the BM shoe has a separate clog-soled overshoe. The overshoe or galosh may have been altered to fit this shoe; usually the same pair of overshoes was worn with several pairs of shoes and it is odd that the overshoe has no leather covering across the wood in the heel socket.
Latchet fastenings of this type were popular from around 1610 to the 1630s, while the tiny slashes and perforations are typical of the period and finely done. The large area left plain suggests a large bow or rose. The back seam is not stiched to the top, allowing a snug fit round the ankle without too much strain on the top stitch. The BM shoe was probably white originally. White leather was fashionable for smart wear by the well to do. The slip-on overshoe must have been hard to keep on; later clog-soled overshoes tend to have latchet ties for a firmer fastening (information kindly supplied by Rebecca Shawcross, curator of the shoe collection at Northampton Museum & Art Gallery, and June Swann). See also, 'June Marion Swann, Slap-Soled Shoes', in Obuv v Historii (Shoe in History), Zlin 1995, pp. 9-15.
Compare slap-sole shoes in Semmelhack, On A Pedestal, Toronto 2009, pp. 92-3.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1860-1869
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- Eu.4241.a-b
- Additional IDs
-
CDMS number: Eu186?C1.4241 (old CDMS no.)
