A delightful pair of rare early 18th century baby shoes from Newbold Pacey Hall, near Warwick, probably worn by Frances Wagstaffe (1679-1714), the only child of Sir Thomas Wagstaffe MP (1633-1709) and his wife Frances Samwell (1655-1709 or 14). In 1690 Thomas in his position of High Sheriff, accompanied King William III (William of Orange) through Warwickshire on William’s expedition to Ireland. A knighthood followed in February 1693.** In 1697 his only child and heiress married (Sir) Edward Bagot of Blithfield* (4th Bt.), scion of one of Staffordshire’s leading gentry families.The house remained in the family until 2020 when it and the contents were sold.
Gilt metal passementerie, the trellis ground in silver wrapped silk couched to a natural linen ground, scattered with flowers having spangle centre surrounded by silver metal coiled wires, edged with a flat metal thread and silver wrapped silk, a wirework rosette between the latchets, the soles of fine cream kid leather, lined with striped silk, the quarters lined with silk ribbon.
5 in; 13 cm
You will be able to see how these have tarnished. Under one flap is a little area where the silver is bright as when the shoes were made on a pink linen ground. Clearly the pink linen on the rest of the shoes has faded to a natural shade. The shoes are in very good condition apart from one small tear to the outside of one shoe. It is hardly noticeable because of the business of the design. There is a unrelated silver metal strip attaching the two shoes. The inside silk is quite worn. The soles are a little grubby.
My thanks to Rebecca Shawcross, Senior Shoe Curator at Northampton Museum & Art Gallery for comparisons with similar children and women's shoes in their collection, both English and French. www.northampton.gov.uk
https://collections.mfa.org/objects/46717
https://collections.mfa.org/objects/46717
**www.geni.com/people/Sir-Thomas-Wagstaffe-MP/
Portrait from ancestry.com
All images and text © meg-andrews.com 2021
