I somehow had this idea that solar tip shoes would be open in the front, allowing the sun to warm your toes. Not so. Instead, they were especially durable tips made by folding the sole leather over the tip of the shoe.
This is one of the few trade cards for shoes that highlights the shoes at all. Many of the advertisements simply showed heartwarming scenes that had nothing to do with shoes, like this one:
So, I had to wonder what the shoes of the 1880s were really like. I know that women's shoes had a high heel and a narrow toe and didn't look comfortable at all. On the other hand, when I went to the Wisconsin Historical Museum's online collection to look at the examples of children's footwear of the era, they not only seem well made, they look soft and comfortable. You can see the shoe collection here.
Step on over to Sepia Saturday to see more posts on shoes.
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Oh ‘the knocking and tramp of an active child’, the all too familiar feeling! Children always seemed to grow out of shoes before they were worn out in the 70s and 80s but I expect when these shoe sellers wer plying their trade it was a different story
ReplyDeleteI've never seen trade cards like these in the UK. Does anyone know whether they existed over here? Children have always grown out of shoes it seems; now a pair has to last me years.
ReplyDeleteshoes then certainly don't look comfortable at all for women! and kids...don't know how i would have kept my littlest grandson still to put those shoes on..esp. the ones needing a buttonhook!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Solar Tips card is the most interesting. I usually only collect trade cards with cats, so I like the Fearey's Albany shoes card too. And I was intrigued by the "sign of the Large Golden Boot" in St. Paul.
ReplyDeleteI wonder who came up with the add that featured the cook pouring gravy through a a pan full of holes.
ReplyDeleteAdvertisement went also through a few changes, not really Sacchi and Sacchi advertising. I still like Hush Puppies, but I think they are made in China under Licence, now.
ReplyDeleteI know it's all about shoes, but I have to say the little bare toes on the little cutie with her kitty cats is adorable!
ReplyDeleteI found a card with buttons for high-top shoes a long time ago at an estate sale. A lot of work getting those on.
ReplyDeleteJust imagine when people only had one pair of shoes or boots and wore them for everything and they lasted for years or just got repaired over and over. Now we have shoes for every mood, occasion or outfit. The children in the solar tip shoe advert are hideous! But the black dog is gorgeous ^_~
ReplyDeleteThe cast of the Solar Tip Shoes all have a lively step to place emphasis on the product. Dressing in the days of old sure looked to be a time consuming affair.
ReplyDeleteThis post is fantastic! As a history geek (I write middle grade, historical fiction when I'm not writing quirky poetry) this is a wholly fascinating study for me. Your cards and ads are really cool. And yes - I really would like to learn more about it. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt's so odd that the advertisers chose not to picture their shoes in the ads.
ReplyDeleteNancy
That first card is great, what a scene, love the baby in the shoe and the guy poking his head over the fence. The ad with an ad of the painted fence is pretty smart too. I'm guessing I would take the sneakers I wore over the shoes kids had in those days for heading out to play though...
ReplyDeleteThe evolution of advertising probably was a discovery of both what kind of items sold, and what images attracted the most sales. The number of shoes in the average 19th Century person's wardrobe may have been a fraction of the number in modern life. Thanks for the link to the Wisconsin Historical Museum, it should prove useful for identifying a photo's decade by the fashion and shoe styles.
ReplyDeleteAll wonderful cards. I especially love the typography on the first one. And all of it has remind of the fact that I had to wear special shoes as a child. Corrective shoes. I don't remember why, but I do remember longing for a pair of shoes that had more style when I was around 6. My mother reluctantly bought them. They had a special clasp on the front instead of shoelaces. Within a week she'd taken them back because the clasps broke. I was back to tie shoes for years to come.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that adverts are so much less attractive and interesting these days. I would be seriously tempted by some of those trade cards to rush off and find the shops.
ReplyDeletenice blog, I wish to receive cards as beautiful as your, I do postcrossing, i´m following your blog, visit my blog and follow me
ReplyDeletehttp://worldpostcardsblog.blogspot.com/
You have an interesting collection of cards and ads. Occasionally I come across old newspaper clippings that family members have saved, and I always enjoy looking at the ads on the back sides of the articles.
ReplyDeleteHallo Christine,
ReplyDeletedas sind wieder gab´nz besonders hübsche Karten, Schuhe waren damals gar keine selbstverständlichkeit.
Meine Oma (Jahrgang 1905) hat mir mal erzählt das sie ihre ersten Lederschuhe mit 12 Jahren ( 1918) bekommen hat. Im Sommer liefen die Kinder barfuß und im Winter hatten sie Hiolzpantinen die mit Stroh gefüttert waren. Das kann man sich heute gar nicht nehr vorstellen.
Vielleicht hat sie sich alsd ind die Nase am Schaufenster eines Schuhmachers plattgedrückt und auch von solchen Schätzen geträumt.
Schönen Sonntag
Janine
It's almost a good thing you had no pictures as you've presented here a fine collection of cards. I especially like the one with the girl and the dog. Almost poetic, even if for a commercial purpose.
ReplyDelete:)~
HUGZ
A great set of cards, the first is a fascinating piece of advertising. Next time I go to a costume museum I will pay more attention to the shoes. My mother was always threatening to put steel tips on the front of my shoes as a child, trying in some way to get me to look after them, she would have definitely bought solar tips given the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you explained Solar Tip Shoes! I thought someone was being awfully progressive in developing a way to warm the feet in cold weather.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love your selection of cards for this post! They are adorable.
ReplyDeleteKathy M.