Antique Wood and Leather Shoe Last c.1920
ABOUT
Price is per pair.
Original pairs of cobbler's wooden shoe last used to make hand crafted shoes for certain clients. The shoe last were kept at the cobbler's shop for custom shoes when the client requested a pair. Some of the shoe last have the client's initials and size. The tops of each shoe are removable and held together with rawhide leather. Both have a cast iron hole on the top. They have retained their original finish and have the appropriate wear.
- CREATOR Unknown.
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DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1920
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MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Maple or Beech, Rawhide, Cast Iron.
- CONDITION Good. Wear consistent with age and use.
- DIMENSIONS H 4 in. W 11.75 in. D 4 in.
HISTORY
The last is the soul of a shoe. Apart from selecting the leather, there are few elements of the shoe making process that are more impactful on the end result than the crafting of a last. Originally hand carved by cordwainers, i.e. bespoke shoemakers, using hardwoods like maple or beech.
This pair was salvaged from a cobbler's shop in the Mission District of San Francisco. The shop was open from the 1920s and closed in 2018.
