This slip on shoe made for bound feet was worn by H E Marchioness Tseng, wife of the Chinese Ambassador to the court of St James, London who gave the shoe to William Box Kingham's aunt, Mrs Corfield Allen, a confidant to the Marchioness. Featured in the catalogue, 'Boots & Shoes of our Ancestors' by W H Dutton; t featured in the Shoe and Leather Fair, Islington, 1895 and the Bethnal Green Museum Shoe Exhibition, London, England in 1897, the shoe comes from an important collection of footwear and shoemaking objects thought to have been initiated by the London shoemaker, Robert Dixon Box, and consolidated by his son, Joseph Box and the Box Kingham family during the second half of the 1800s. The collection ranges from remnants of leather shoes from the Middle Ages found in English archaeological sites, to intact European shoes from the 1600s onwards, 'foreign' shoes collected as 'curiosities' from around the world, shoe buckles, spurs and snuff boxes, as well as company documents relating to Joseph Box Ltd.

The Joseph Box shoe company was an important London shoemaking business established in 1808 by a 'ladies shoemaker' called James Sly. From 1816 Sly's apprentice was Robert Dixon Box, the fifteen-year-old son of a bankrupted Quaker attorney. Box became manager of the business when Sly died in 1826, subsequently attaining a reputation for fine shoemaking through participation at international exhibitions and by obtaining Royal Warrants. The business became known as Joseph Box Ltd in 1862 after it was transferred to Robert's son, Joseph. Like his father, Joseph started in the trade at the age of 15, but retired at the relatively early age of 42 to enable his daughters to enter society. Although he transferred the business to his cousins the Box Kinghams in 1882, Joseph maintained an active interest in shoemaking through collecting. Some of the shoes in the collection feature a remarkable 20 stitches to the centimetre exemplifying the attention to detail and quality of workmanship Joseph Box shoes became renowned for. At the end of the century the business was later taken over by royal shoemakers Gundry & Sons, which was itself taken over by John Lobb Ltd some time after 1953.

The Joseph Box collection provides a unique insight into footwear history, demonstrating how changes in contemporary attitudes, needs and etiquette directly affected shoe design. It also reveals the fine skills of shoemakers as well as the impact of scientific developments and technological innovations on the materials and construction methods.

Reference:
Mitchell, Louise, with Lindie Ward, 'Stepping out: three centuries of shoes', Powerhouse Publishing, Sydney, 1997

This slip on shoe made for bound feet featured as exhibit number 149 in the Bethnal Green Museum Shoe Exhibition, London, England in 1897. Described as: 'Lady's shoe; silk embroidered with different colours of silk and with gold. Worn by H E the Marchioness Tseng, wife of the late Chinese Ambassador to the Court of St James, London. Chinese. Box Collection'.

This slip on shoe made for bound feet is part of the Museum's significant Joseph Box collection. Made in the late 19th century, the shoe featured in a catalogue by W H Dutton: 'Boots & Shoes of our Ancestors plate 30, number 18; and as exhibit number 149 in the Bethnal Green Museum Shoe Exhibition, London, England in 1897. Described as: 'Lady's shoe; silk embroidered with different colours of silk and with gold. Worn by H E the Marchioness Tseng, wife of the late Chinese Ambassador to the Court of St James, London. Chinese. Box Collection'.

The 1965 Box collection list notes: 'worn by H.E. the Marchioness Tseng, wife of the late Chinese Ambassador to the court of St James, London' and a note by William Box Kingham dated 1906 recounts how the shoe came to be in the collection: 'This shoe was given by the Marchioness herself to my aunt, Mrs Corfield Allen, who was her confidential friend during her stay in London.'

Joseph Box Ltd had its origins in a London shoemaking business established in 1808 by a 'ladies shoemaker' called James Sly. From 1816 Sly's apprentice was Robert Dixon Box, the fifteen-year-old son of a bankrupted Quaker attorney. Box was to become manager of the business when Sly died in 1826, and gained a reputation for fine shoemaking through its participation at international exhibitions and by obtaining Royal Warrants. The business became known as Joseph Box Ltd in 1862 after it was transferred to Robert's son, Joseph. Like his father, Joseph started in the trade at the age of 15, but retired at the relatively early age of 42 to enable his daughters to enter society. Although he transferred the business to his cousins the Box Kinghams in 1882, Joseph maintained an active interest in shoemaking through collecting. At the end of the century the business was later taken over by royal shoemakers Gundry & Sons, which was itself taken over by John Lobb Ltd some time after 1953.

The collection acquired by the Museum in 1942 was probably started by Robert Dixon and consolidated by Joseph Box and the Box Kinghams during the second half of the 1800s. It includes remnants of leather shoes from the Middle Ages found in English archaeological sites, intact European shoes from the 1600s onwards, 'foreign' shoes collected as 'curiosities' from around the world, shoe buckles and spurs, as well as documents relating to Joseph Box Ltd.

Footwear scholar, June Swann, former Keeper of the Boot and Shoe Collection at the Northampton Museum in England was invited to catalogue this very significant collection in 1993. A large selection was subsequently featured in the Museum's 1997 exhibition and accompanying publication 'Stepping out: three centuries of shoes'.

REF:
Mitchell, Louise, with Lindie Ward, 'Stepping out: three centuries of shoes', Powerhouse Publishing, Sydney, 1997

Slip on shoe for bound feet, (lotus shoe), womens, handmade silk brocade / metal / cotton / silk, maker unknown, worn by H E Marchioness Tseng, China, late 19th century

Womens single straight slip on shoe for bound feet constructed using blue piping with gold leather at front above the platform, sole and heel. Needlepoint upturned toe and covered wedge heel extends to form the platform. Shoe consists of pink silk brocade uppers with front and back seam, black top edge bound, featuring a wide throat and wide ankle, almost a vertical vamp, apron at the front and a pointed flap stitched in at the back. Upper embroidered at the toe in silk polychrome thread in floral motifs, the metallic fabric of the apron edged with polychrome fabric and gold couched thread and the flap in magenta silk brocade is edged in green. Shoe lined in pink cotton, sock does not reach the toe. Covered heel also embroidered in polychrome silk thread and the sole features a pale blue quilted toe, the remainder in quilted magenta fabric.

Made: China; 1875 - 1900

Interior obscured by support. No marks on exterior.

H4448-1005

1875 - 1900

70 mm

40 mm