Balmorals
The Balmoral boot, a design named for the Scottish estate purchased by Queen Victoria at the time when the style was first popularized, is distinguished by the whole vamp and ankle-high top with closed-tab lacing. While a buttoned version was preferred in the early 1910s, the lace-up Balmoral boot was the dominant style of men's day shoes of late 1910s to early 1920s. This pair from the collection exhibits the elegantly elongated and narrow shape particular to this date. Beautifully proportioned details complement the refined tone. These boots, which were retained as a sample and hence in excellent condition, were manufactured by the Hurd Shoe Company of Ithaca, NY during the period when the United States was the world leader in volume, variety, and size range of shoe manufacture.
Artwork Details
- Title: Balmorals
- Manufacturer: Hurd Shoe Co.
- Date: 1915–25
- Culture: American
- Medium: leather
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Kenneth S. Hurd, 1959
- Object Number: 2009.300.3775a–d
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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