Child's Shoes with Ankle Straps, 1860s

These baby shoes belonged to Abbie Read, who wore them in the 1860s. They are made of black leather with a woven cotton lining. Though more vibrant colors were available, children at this time typically wore black or brown shoes (Buck 1996: 238). A single strap fastens the shoe at the ankle with a single black, glass shank button and hand sewn buttonhole. Four small holes near the edge of the vamp indicate that there once was a decoration, most likely shoe rosettes or bows, which were popular in the 1860s.

The shoes are machine sewn. Factory production of shoes was well underway by the 1860s.

Similar shoes can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art: Brooklyn Museum Collection. Each pair is listed with an accession number as follows: 
"formerly 29.1056a-b; formerly 29.1058a-b; formerly 54.61.145".

References

Buck, Anne. Clothes and the Child. New York: Holmes & Meier Publishers Inc., 1996.