Name/Title
Baby ShoesEntry/Object ID
RE-CL-2026-0011Description
1910-1920Category
Boots, Shoes, baby, child, 1900's
Clothing/Dress/Costume Details
Article of Clothing/Dress/Costume
BootsClothing Sex
UnisexTextile Details
Material
LeatherColor
Red, OrangeNotes
Leather:
Soft, vegetable-tanned leather
Hand-stitched gathered toe (classic early 20th-century baby construction)
Natural aging consistent with 100+ years
Silk Trim:
Burnt orange silk ribbon, pleated and rosetted
Silk (not cotton) indicates special-occasion shoes
Color still remarkably strong for its age
Sole Stitching:
Visible hand stitching
Flexible sole (crib use)
No heel reinforcement — confirms pre-walker or early walkerMade/Created
Date made
circa 1910 - circa 1920Label/Inscription/Signature
The handwritten ink inscription on the soles reads (with minor handwriting variation):
“Baby Kathryn [surname unclear] first shoes 1919”
Key points:
Original period ink, not modern
Written after wear, likely when the shoes were retired and saved
Confirms exact year
Confirms child’s name
Confirms use as first shoes
This kind of direct provenance written on the object itself is rare and highly desirable to collectors and museums.Condition
Overall Condition
ExcellentDate Examined
Jan 22, 2026General Notes
Note Type
DescriptionNote
Baby’s First Shoes
United States, 1919
Leather, silk ribbon, ink inscription
This pair of baby shoes was preserved as a family keepsake and inscribed with the child’s name and the date “1919,” identifying them as the wearer’s first shoes. Such objects were commonly saved to commemorate early childhood milestones. The survival of both shoes with their original silk trim and personal inscription offers a rare glimpse into domestic memory practices of the early twentieth century.Create Date
January 22, 2026
