Colonial Buckle Shoes Cut Back for Laces?

Ho! Interesting! “…though made for Buckles.” That’s an affirmative confirmation of my PC question… and evidence of shoes made for laces? 

I picked up the following pamphlet/book "The Leatherworker in Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg"
at Colonial Williamsburg only a couple years after it was first printed.  It is just chock full of period documentation, though by bits and pieces throughout.

www.gutenberg.org/files/58293/58293-h/58293-h.htm

The Cordwainer (Shoe Designer/Maker) at CW with whom I spent hours "mining" information, suggested it as a start to learn more about period footwear.  A few years later, I spent some hours in the Cobbler's (Shoe Repairer and sometimes maker of less sophisticated shoes) Shop at Old Salem in Winston/Salem, NC for the different perspective from that trade.  From these and other period sources, here is some information you might enjoy.

Generally speaking, only the wealthy could afford to have a pair of custom made Cordwainer's shoes or boots.  This because the Cordwainer took various measurements of a customer's foot, made or modified a shoe last JUST to fit him (or her) and crafted the footwear to fit that person elegantly and stored that last for future orders from that customer.  IOW, it was a truly custom-made pair of shoes or boots.   The Cordwainer at CW informed me his shop made all footwear for all paid personnel and volunteers to that standard, though they made the outside of the shoe to look like common to high end shoes, to match the persona of each person.  One of the volunteer's normally had to have expensive orthopedic shoes for her feet, but was delighted to find the Cordwainer made period shoes actually were more comfortable and she was able to walk better and be on her feet for hours with them, unlike even the most expensive orthopedic shoes she normally wore.  Generally speaking, these shoes were usually made for buckles, though there were some kinds of high end shoes made to tie with fancy ribbons, but those were never worn by any but the rich.

Next down were shoes made to pattern sizes, but in more expensive leathers or cloth uppers.  I've never studied them much, as those shoes were above the economic station of any persona I ever did.   

The next shoes down in expense were known as "Plain" shoes.  Though still well made, they were made to pattern sizes and not an individual customer's foot, very similar to how we buy modern shoes.  These were imported from England, made in the few shoe factories in the colonies such as at Norfolk, VA and also in a Cordwainer's shop by his journeymen and apprentices as a less expensive shoe than a custom made one.  These came much like our modern period repro shoes with flaps ready to be cut for buckles.  These were normally plain black.  The way a prosperous man/woman tradesman or mature farmer/his wife might show off a bit was to buy fancier buckles with these.  

The next shoes down in expense gets a bit confusing and what they were called depends to some degree to whom they were advertised to be sold.  If advertised for lower economic station white people, they were often called "country shoes."  If advertised for slaves, they were often called "Negro" or sometimes "Slave shoes."  These were still made to pattern sizes and hand sewn, but the leather for the uppers were not first quality in that the thickness was not uniform and perhaps with what we moderns call "range scars."  Those sold to whites were normally blackened, but those sold for slaves might have been natural/undyed "russet" or blackened, depending on the Master's preference.  Apprentices and Tradesmen here could/did make them, but these were also made fast and perhaps a bit sloppy.  If itinerant Cobblers made shoes, this was often what they made for poorer farmers and laborers.  Normally these were only made to be tied and though there might be as many as a single hole or four holes for the ties, two or three holes on each side of the upper seems to have been the most common.

Gus

This is what I started with. I really cannot remember what brand these are, but the 21 year old version of meself was shocked at the price. At the time they were by far the most expensive shoes I’ve ever bought. A lot of beer was drank by someone else because I bought these. I think Jarnigan or Missouri Boot. They sat for the past couple decades in my parent’s basement. 





Gus, I can appreciate what a custom shoe can do. I invested in myself because of my work and my lifestyle with two pairs of custom boots built for my foot. My overall comfort and health increased dramatically. I dearly love them and I can’t see them ever needing anything other than soles every 5 years or so. If anyone ever wants to treat themselves to ‘life boots’, you can do no finer than Nicks in Spokane. Spokane is sort of a Mecca for custom boots… I think there are 5 or 6 independent shops building high-end boots. 

I think you've got something quite seviceable there!

Yeah. These will work. 

I agree.

Gus