Monday, June 28, 2010

Lost Shoe Found in 103 Orchard

On Thursday, the Tenement Museum’s collection acquired a new object: a worn leather boot found inside of 103 Orchard Street.


The boot was found in the basement by workmen who are renovating the space for our new Visitors & Education Center. The boot, a leftie, is leather and features a zipper on the inside of the shoe.



Shoemakers began to introduce zippers on their products after the technology was patented in 1917. The shoe’s owner could have been involved in one of the commercial businesses located in the first and/or ground floors of the building after that year. (After 1913, no residential units existed on the first or ground floors of 103 Orchard Street.)


While an exciting acquisition for the Museum’s collection, I continue to wonder ‘what happened to the right boot?’

- Posted by Alana

1 comment:

  1. Is it possible that this boot is a 'concealment shoe'? It fits the description of one: old, well-worn, single (no match), found in a buiding. If so, it would be one of the more recent examples in the U.S. If you want to discuss the find, please email me at mcpratt@bsu.edu

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