POST MEDIEVAL SHOE

1800

Incomplete sheet copper alloy miniature shoe, missing part of the sole, near the toe, and the heel, with two rectangular attachments for staples or studs to attach the shoe to the foot of a doll, probably made of wood. But the shoe is quite large for a doll's shoe and these are not normally made of metal, so it is more likely that this shoe would have held a pin cushion with the staples, within the aperture of the shoe. The recorder has seen similar brass examples of pin cushion holders on-line in the form of a Victorian shoe with a pointed toe and heel, and a decorative plate above the toe, where this example has a circular rivet hole which could have held the mounted plate, that also acted to hold the cushion in place. These pin cushion holders in the form of a ladies shoe seem to be of a standard size which corresponds to the size of this shoe. This object has since been flattened so it is difficult to be sure of its original height and capacity for holding a foot or pin cushion.