Early 20th C knee high, heeled, laced boots

[Jasmin Key]

I have this lovely pair of knee high boots which I would be grateful with some help dating and info in general. I'm hoping the forum can either provide info or point me at a resource I may have missed.



They are 16 inches high with a 3 inch heel. They are a bugger to lace up! 35 pairs of eyelets on each one

When I first saw them I guessed they were turn of the century but on searching I kept seeing reference to the height of the boot changing in relation to skirt length, so I'm left unsure. Plus the heel shape is throwing me.

The closest I have seen online are these - obviously there is a difference in colour and top plus mine are worn, but I was wondering about the height of the leg and heel shape for dating them? Also the slim ankle.

"Red boots, glace kid leather, handmade in Belgium for National Shoe Store London, late 1920s. Museum no. T.321-1970. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London"

 

[Dee Dee Hall]

Wow, I'm no expert. No nothing of them just what I have seen through the years. They look old to me. Like real old, but as I said no expert. Perhaps someone with way more knowledge then me can help you.

 

[Jasmin Key]

Thanks Dee Dee. I hope so too. I know what you mean about them looking old, hence my first thought was early 1900s but that heel shape is throwing me right off!

I found the shoe workshop on here by Jonathan and had a look through plus went through all 155 pages of the Shoe Icons website lol!

 

[Jonathan]

They are late 20s - the heel shape is the late 1920s 'Spanish' heel. Tall laced and button boots weren't common after about 1924 but tall boots were still being made. There was a fetish quality to them (especially with the high heels) and are often seen in naughty postcard images... These show a lot of sole wear, so whomever owned them walked around in them a lot. The height of the leg of the boot does suggest the boots were visible and worn with a shorter skirt. If you look REALLY closely you will probably see a label in them somewhere - impressed into the leather on the inside of the top is most likely. Look very closely... I bet its there.

 

[Jonathan]

PS: they were also worn by women who had a gimp or prosthesis.

 

[Jasmin Key]

How wonderful Jonathan! Thank you so much. I was hoping they were from around that period after seeing the red boots. I did search for labels before and didn't find anything but I will check again. When I opened them up there was newspaper and a paper bag stuffed inside from a shoe repairers.

I could quite easily have missed an embossed label. I forgot to mention they are lined in a heavy cotton. Quite stained so plenty of use indeed.