Postillion boot with spur from the Joseph Box collection
Object No. H4448-33
This postillion boot 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
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Summary
Object Statement
Postillion boot with spur, and label, part of Joseph Box collection, mens, leather / metal / paper, maker unknown, possibly France / England, c. 1790
Physical Description
Postillion boot with spur, mens, leather / metal, and identification tag, paper, maker unknown, [France] / England, c. 1790 Mens single right straight thigh boot (postillion), [welted] construction with square domed toe over rounded square sole and stacked heel. Boot consists of black leather upper featuring a straight vamp seam at waist, rigid leg to knee with extra layer to top, all front seamed with outside right leg and front top cut higher. Spur rest stitched to the centre back and angled away from the back. The original spur leather is incomplete at the bottom with two leather straps, buckles and D buckle attached. Upper decorated with a pair of leaves between two rows of stitching and a row of stitching around the top edge, scallops and circles at the original centre of spur leather with two rows of stitching each side. Lining consists of a roll of leather at top edge of leg, probably padded. Stacked leather heel has four lifts, a slight kickup in centre and wrought nail head. Paper tag from unknown institution, inscribed 'No 33 / One Postillion Boot / with spur & Pad / Tudor Period'
DIMENSIONS
Height
618 mm
PRODUCTION
Notes
This postillion boot was made possibly in France around 1785-1795. Footwear specialist June Swann notes: 'Postillion boots were worn mostly in the 18th century. See R.E.J. Weber "Postillionsstiefel", 1964. Leg has been treated with pitch over a fire. Spur - crude wrought steel spur 165mm diameter with arms of rowel 52mm. Rowel simple sheet of iron, now broken. 17-early 18th c. style. Hook on other side now attached to 19th century brown leather strap on side of boot. NB both buckle and hook would have attached to the missing part of the original spur leather.'
HISTORY
Notes
This postillion boot with spur made in around 1785-1795 is part of the Museum's significant Joseph Box collection. 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
SOURCE
Acquisition Date
2 April 1942
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