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A curated illustrated survey of historical women's footwear that describes eleven preserved shoes from different centuries, noting materials, decoration, construction, and any known provenance. Each plate is accompanied by a descriptive note detailing colors, embroidery, buckles, heels, toe shapes, linings, and repairs, as well as occasional associations with named owners. A brief prefatory discussion emphasizes craftsmanship and preservation, and appendices document related museum holdings and exhibition appearances, providing comparative observations on shoe styles and antiquarian context.
THE following Illustrations of Old Shoes are intended to preserve in an intelligible form what is fast crumbling into dust; and it has been my endeavour to collect the very best and most authentic specimens, as well as to show the variety of shapes and the excellence of the workmanship and design used by our ancestors.
I have to thank Sir Bernard Burke; Sir Robert Menzies, of that Ilk; Mrs Bourne, of Breachoak; Mrs M’Queen, of Braxfield; and Messrs Cassell & Co., for their kind assistance.