Name/Title
Pair of copper-plated baby's first-step shoes (bronzed keepsake)Entry/Object ID
2025.11.39Description
A matched pair of infant's first-walking high-top boots — ankle height, rounded toe, lace front (laces present and tied), with a pinked/scalloped top edge. The shoes have been copper-electroplated as a keepsake, encasing the original leather (uppers, laces, and stitched soles) in a thin metal coat; the finish has darkened to a dark brown-black patina, with warmer copper-brown tones surviving on the soles. One leather sole carries an embossed mark along the arch and a small drilled hole near the waist (consistent with the plating/mounting process).Acquisition
Accession
2025.11Acquisition Method
PurchaseMade/Created
Notes
Maker: Not identified. The sole bears an embossed mark (3120); a size and/or maker/last number is likely but cannot be read with confidence. The plating service is not indicated.
Date: Undatable from the object. First-step baby boots of this form are not period-specific, and the copper-plating keepsake is undated; the shoes may predate the collection's range. Cannot be confirmed within 1959–1990 and may fall outside it.
Place of Origin: Likely Cuba (per collection context); unconfirmed, as no origin mark is legible.Label/Inscription/Signature
Notes
Sole — an embossed mark, "3120" (partly legible; apparent letters/numerals) running along the arch. No other visible maker's marks, sizes, or stamps.Research Notes
Notes
"Bronzed"/metal-plated baby shoes were a popular 20th-century sentimental keepsake — a child's first-walking shoes electroplated (and often mounted) as a memento.Created By
María A. Cabrera ArúsCreate Date
January 10, 2026Updated By
María A. Cabrera ArúsUpdate Date
June 12, 2026
