Thursday, 10 March 2011

Ardingly


Here are some photos of items I bought at Ardingly last week. I already have a pair of Victorian children's boots but couldn't resist buying some more (after all, a girl can't have too many shoes!) They are supposed to be for sale but so far I have only listed one pair on the website as I just love them myself. These are the ones I had for a Valentine's present several years ago.
There must be so much history in these shoes; I wonder who they belonged to, where the child lived, whether their shoes were passed down to a sibling or if they themselves received them as a hand me down. One pair has scuffed toes and I wonder if the child was scolded for this and I wonder if they were kept for best for wearing to Sunday school perhaps.
This brown pair are the smallest; the soles measure just 4 inches.

I also bought this stool which can only be described as very rustic. I absolutely love it especially now it has had some wax polish and elbow grease. The centre is very 'damaged' and I would imagine it has been used for chopping wood.









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15 comments:

  1. Jem 10 March 2011 at 17:43

    It is such a joy to pick up old things and weave an imaginary story for whoever they belonged to - I can't help myself and find myself doing it in any charity shop/antique shop/market I go to :-)

    Those are all beautiful pairs of shoes - the tiniest are absolutely adorable!!

    Jem xXx

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  2. Vintage Tea Time10 March 2011 at 18:27

    Oh, wow - those shoes are amazing - love the tiny ones. No wonder you can't let them go! As you say, lots of history there. Enjoy the weekend. Abby x

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  3. Hesta Nesta10 March 2011 at 19:44

    Those little boots are so charming, I just love them. I know how hard it is to part with things...I have just sold my pair of antique Welsh quilts..it was very hard to see them go. Have a lovely weekend.
    Jo xx

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  4. The Cloth Shed10 March 2011 at 20:00

    Gorgeous little shoes and they look so good grouped together.
    Nice stool.....I'm loving the rustic look at the moment too.
    Julie x

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  5. Unknown10 March 2011 at 21:25

    The shoes are lovely and I really like the stool. Are you going to keep it as is or are you going to give it the farrow and ball treatment :)
    xxx

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  6. RDA Pony Tales10 March 2011 at 22:36

    What sweet little boots, I would not be able to part with any of them. I love the stool too, I have a few old one's next to chairs, they come in handy to sit things on. Abby

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  7. PeregrineBlue11 March 2011 at 02:46

    thank you for your kind words on my blog. i took a long stroll through yours too and loved the idea of the photo days. i, too, was separated from my father-twice actually, my real daddy died when I was 9 months old and my stepfather, who I adored, divorced my mother when I was 14. I still miss him. He lives in australia now and have managed to stay in touch sporadically.

    Spent many wonderful holidays in Cornwall in a little village called Cadgwith. Some of my best memories are from those years in England. We are planning a trip to England and Scotland this summer and hope to go to Cornwall. There is a terrific artist there called Carolyn Saxby you might enjoy. I have her as Love Stitching Red in the blogs I follow, you may even hook up to do some felting together since you are neighbors. She lives in St. Ives.

    Warm regards to you and stay in touch

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  8. Cowboys and Custard Mercantile11 March 2011 at 08:43

    Hello Ruth.. there is something so poignant and beautiful about children's shoes. They do make a wonderful collection..

    Sorry it has taken me so long to report back on Cornwall. We did get to Coverack and stayed at the old Watch House on the rocks behind The Paris. It was fabulous to be there again.. first stayed there when I was a baby. I do have some sad news about Brenda.. She passed away at Christmas. Coverack won't be the same without her.

    Love
    Michele x

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  9. Poppy13 March 2011 at 10:06

    I'm in love with all of those shoes! I love things that have lots of history to them, I was thinking the very same things same as you.

    Lou xxx

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  10. Louise17 March 2011 at 07:59

    Have you a collection of postcards/photos of children wearing such a style of shoes in that era. It would go so lovely alongside your shoe collection. I'm now conjuring up an image of the child wearing those scuffed ones - just imagine. I make a useless shopkeeper - find it so hard to sell anything I buy! x

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  11. Ragged Roses17 March 2011 at 13:01

    I can see why you want those shoes, they are absolutely lovely. Very sad as well as beautiful, but i bet the owners had fun whilst wearing them!
    Kimx

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  12. Anonymous18 March 2011 at 18:59

    Those little shoes are adorable!

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  13. Suzy's Vintage Attic21 March 2011 at 09:43

    Hi Ruth

    I love the shoes.I had to smile as upon looking at the first photo I wondered who they might have belonged to once upon a time. A couple of sentences later you said the same thing. Wonderful finds!
    Isabelle x

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  14. Poppy22 March 2011 at 15:48

    Thank you!

    Did you get a new camera? x

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  15. Astridbears26 March 2011 at 06:39

    Hi Ruth,
    this shoes are amazing!! What a lovely blog you have!!
    have a wonderful weekend
    hugs
    Astrid

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