I have a few questions about these shoes

[onceoza]

These shoes are from the estate of a former Rockette! I am guessing they are from the late 40's? Do I have the right decade? Secondly, there is absolutely no name in the shoe; just a few handwritten numbers. They were in the original box that says Sommers Footwear in NY. I was able to find Sommers Footwear in a 1930 blue book. The owner of the shoes was born in Connecticut in 1929 and died this past summer. Any help describing them would be appreciated. Metallic brocade, t-strap?

 

[Jonathan]

They look 30s at first glance, but there were shoes that looked VERY much like early 30s shoes in the early 50s and they often have T-straps like this one. Can you do a pic of the side of the heels?

 

[onceoza]

Thanks for replying, Jonathan. Here is the picture that you requested. The reason I say late 40's is because the former Rockette that wore these wasn't born until 1929. Probably the late 40's was the earliest she would have worn "grown-up heels".

 

[Jonathan]

That heel looks suspiciously like an early 50s heel. If it were 30s it would be slimmer. The Almond shaped toe was around early-mid 30s and again in the mid 50s, but the overlapping of the vamp over the quarters with the dipped down sides, the cream lining (rather than white or grey) are all early 50s features. I would have to handle them to be sure, but I think these are early 50s. You have to be at least 18 to be a rockette, so the earliest she could have auditioned would have been in 1947 - she still could have been a rockette at the age of 25...

 

[Pinkcoke]

They are difficult to place. My first impression was also early 1930's but I have a pair of 1950's Schiapirelli heels in the style Jonathon mentions which have a t-bar and diamante ankle straps. I waited to reply to this until I'd found the advert these shoes reminded me of, from the UK edition of Harpers Bazaar of 1949, but showing quite retro styles.

Could you show a photo of the soles?, and a closeup of the diamante/strap construction? as my thinking is that earlier they would have used claw settings, later just glued in or moulded.

I also noted the natural colour soles on your shoes - I find the dressier 20's/30's styles tend to have painted soles.