At the meeting on March 21st, we were fortunate to have a close look at a display of 18th and 19thC shoes from the collection belonging to Geoff and Geraldine Treloar. The Treloars are former podiatrists, whose interest in the history of shoes led to an impressive collection which has been on display in the Art Gallery of South Australia.

Geraldine gave a fascinating talk on the manufacture of shoes in Georgian times, and techniques of restoration. We learnt that Geoff's expertise in this art led to a lectureship in the shoe-making diploma course at TAFE College. Geoff spoke about the ways various shoes came into their collection; patients at the clinic offered 'these old shoes of Grandma's' (more likely Grandma's grandma); second-hand clothing stores in the 70's sold hundred-year-old shoes with an innocence of their provenance and value which one doesn't find today.

Slippers (1780)
Silk embroidered slippers, tied with silk ruched ribbons. The wooden heels are "Louis" shaped. Branded: "Luciole", Paris.

Ladies Kid Court Shoe (circa 1810)
Low cut court shoe with needlepoint toe shape.
Very fine navy kid with lighter blue silk ribbon rosette.
Silk ribbon across facing joins and binding topline. The sole is made of fine suede leather with tooled pattern from the heel to the start of the forefoot. Very fine white stitching on the sole about 1 mm from the upper, down the heel and along the sole to the beginning of the arch.
There is no shank. There is another row of very fine stitching parallel to that on the heel and sole, about 1 mm up from the sole.
Lining is an insock of very fine linen.
The heel is only 10 mm. Each shoe weighs 55 grams.
There is no brand but the shoes are thought to be custom made in Italy.

Laced Ladies Shoes (1820)
Custom made black leather, low cut, laced with scalloped holes and ribbons. The heels are "Louis" shaped.