Civil War Era Child Shoe Leather Wood Sole

Description

INFO.THAT CAME WITH ITEM WHEN ADDED TO OUR MUSEUM
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Hand crafted wooden sole shoes from the Civil War era. Uppers of tanned animal skin or leather ; fastened to wooden sole by metal nails or tacks.  Pointed toes reinforced with metal & tacked to wooden sole.  No markings found.  Each shoe has 4 pair of metal eyelets & cloth laces.   Leather is fragile, areas are loose, cracked or perhaps broken. Used & worn condition with a hole worn through one of the toes, exposing fabric lining.   Measures approximately 7 1/2" L (exterior sole from toe to heel) x 2 1/2" W (exterior sole at the widest point/ba
Pleased to share with you this surviving pair of Civil War-era Leather Children's Shoes or Boots with Wooden Soles.  These appear to be completely hand-made with soles carved from a single piece of wood.  The uppers appear to be made from an animal skin or leather and are attached to the wooden sole with metal nails or tacks.  Their pointed toes are reinforced with metal that are tacked into the wooden sole.  No markings found.  Each shoe has 4 pair of metal eyelets and cloth laces.  The leather is fragile with areas that are loose, cracked or perhaps broken.  Well used condition with a hole worn through one of the toes, exposing the fabric lining.   M
easures approximately 7 1/2" long (exterior sole from toe to heel) x 2 1/2" wide (exterior sole at the widest point/ball) x 5 1/2" tall (from bottom of heel to top of boot).
Website noting the use of wooden-soled, leather-topped shoes during the American Civil War & pair of similar shoes selling for 5 ...
http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/civilwarantiques/1308webcat.html
"Wood soles with leather uppers nailed to them and iron rims nailed on the bottom. These are sometimes referred to as clogs or plantation shoes. Similar patterns were produced for issue to Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama troops during the war to save leather. ... The Southern Cultivator from Augusta, GA in July-August 1862 reports ... "The manufacture of wooden shoes is now carried on quite extensively in Raleigh, N.C., by Messrs. Theim & Fraps. The enterprising manufacturers have in their employment some thirty hands, and are turning out about one hundred pair of shoes per day. The shape and size of the shoe are first marked and sawed out, and then it is bored and scooped out, and fashioned at the bottom and sand-papered, and lined, and painted, and topped with leather, and thus finished.”
We also find ... Columbus (GA) Enquirer - January 21, 1862 “Wooden-Soled Shoes. - We learn that the Georgia made shoes with double maple sole are in very good demand. Mr. Markstein has already filled a considerable order from Virginia, for army demand, we suppose. Several planters have been testing their merits, and the result in all cases proved favorable. In our own immediate vicinity, or in what might be properly called “The Army of Mobile,” they have been tried, and the report is so favorable that only yesterday an additional lot was ordered. We have no hesitation in saying that they will prove an excellent marching shoe. Some other article might better suit the double-quick movement, but for an all-day lick they will prove less fatiguing than a more elastic shoe. Besides, the foot is less liable to heat in them, no matter what kind of sock is worn, or even should the soldier find himself without any. One thing we must say - though that will not diminish their value among our boys - they’ll never do to run away in; indeed, they are a Southern shoe, and not designed for that kind of service.”
This pair of unused shoes surfaced earlier this year at a central Ohio estate auction. There was a Union officer’s field desk at the sale, but the auctioneer and family could not supply the name of the original owner.  I do not know if these wooden sole shoes are examples of Southern made clogs brought home in 1865 by the owner of the desk or if they have some other 19th century civilian association. They are clearly made the same way as described in the wartime Southern newspapers, and are certainly an interesting pair of Civil War era shoes. The right shoe is made with grommets for the laces to pass through,  the left shoe is not. Both have nicely carved wooden soles and heels with substantial reinforcing steel cleats or ridges along the outer edges of the sole and heel. The uppers in leather are nailed to the wooden soles. It is interesting to note that the replica CS shoes look very similar to these. Interesting early footwear ... 5.00 SOLD
ll) x 5 1/2" T (from bottom of heel to top of boot).
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Please see photos for more description and condition. All items sold "as is" and as described. These artifacts are old and have been used so expect wear and age defects unless noted otherwise. No returns unless description/photographs totally misrepresent item/s.
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Most items are being deaccessioned
.(We need to thank you for your patronage; half the museum has been dissolved and we truly appreciate you for accepting our artifacts into your collections!)
At age 70
the grand kids have told me that they have no interest in any of the collections in the family’s traveling museum-- MOCAPA. A bit disappointing to hear but well understood in the 21st century. Plus, for me, collecting lacks the attraction that it had in years past as well as the steward collectors. Thanks, joe