MIJ Red Dotted Heels #055
A small porcelain shoe made in Japan (MIJ). This is a knock-off of a shoe that was available from “The Home of Gifts, Mayer’s, Arlington Va.” in the early 1950s. The details of the hand-painted flowers on the last and on the top back of the slipper have been changed, and all the flowers are painted on slightly raised surfaces instead of being individually attached as in the original. However the overall dotted pattern found in the original heel has been hand-applied and is raised on the copy.
3 1/8 inches in length and 2 1/8 inches in height, 1 1/8 inch in width. The shoe is in excellent condition, with no cracks, chips or other damage.
The heel is stamped MADE IN JAPAN in red ink on the sole. A post WWII shoe, produced after 1952.
This shoe is noted in Collectible Glass Shoes Second Edition by Earlene Wheatley, Scroeder Books Publishing Co., Inc. 2001. It’s estimated collectors’ price in 2001 was $20.00 according to the Wheatley reference. Approximate collectors’ value now is $30.00.
Henriot Quimper Dutch Shoes #053
Information from Porcelain and Pottery Shoes by Anne Everset Wojtkowski, published by Schiffer Book for Collectors, Schiffer Books, Ltd. Atglen, PA. 2004 and a 2008 article in Wikipedia, Quimper Faience.
Elves on Shoes, Made in Japan #047
This is a pair of ceramic high heeled shoes manufactured in Japan. They are dated from the 1950s kitschy era. Each shoe is decorated with an elf, one dressed in yellow, the other in pink. Much of the paint has worn off, notably the clothing and the bows which were once red. Each elf has a large brown bump on its forehead. (?) The faces, however, are in excellent condition.
The shoes each measure 3″ in length, 3″ in height and 1 5/8″ in width. There are no chips, cracks or crazing. The detailing is not sharp, but the outlines are evident.
Note the odd brown forehead ‘bump’, but also notice the delicate painted eyelashes.
The stamp in red reads JAPAN. This pair of shoes is part of the original Lillian P Wood Memorial Collection and dates from the early 1950s.
The estimated collector’s value is $18.00 to $24.00 for the pair.
Information from The Collector’s Guide to Made in Japan Ceramics by Carole Bess White published by Collectors Books, a division of Schroeder Publishing Co., Inc. in 1996 and personal records.
Pale Green Ceramic Baby Shoe #045
This is an art pottery baby shoe from an unknown maker, circa 1940s to early 1950s.
The shoes are in excellent with no cracks, chips or crazing. Good overall glazing Measurements are 4 1/4″ long, 2 5/8″ high and 1 15/16″ wide,
This shoe was purchased at auction in 1994 for $4.00. This estimated collector’s value is $10.00.
Information from the reference book, Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001. Other information was recorded from personal papers.
Occupied Japan Copy-Cat Shoes #034 and #035
Post-WWII Japan made a great deal of ceramics as it was one of the industries encouraged as it was considered safe and non-military. It has a “MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN” stamp on the sole in red ink. This stamp was required on all imports from post WW II Japan from 9.2.45 to 4.28.52.
It was less expensive to copy an existing shoe rather than design originals, and the practice was accepted and pervasive. Note these two shoes are similar. They are each a copy of a single shoe maufactured by two Japanese companies. The shoes are approximately the sizes shown in the photograph. The right shoe measures 1 7/8″ long, 1 1/4″ high and 15/16″ wide. The left shoe has slightly different dimensions: length is 1 15/16″, height is 1 1/2″ and width is 1 1/16.” Obviously, they are nearly the exact size.
But there are many clear contrasts. The right shoe has more delicate features – a better quality of ceramic material, a nicely detailed rose, and the pink flower is painted and shaded nicely. The gold has been applied with a steady hand, and totally rings the rim. The left shoe is made with less care. The white ceramic has stained and cannot be cleaned. The pink rose is inferior in quality, though the blue flower and leaves are nearly alike. The gold has rubbed off on half of the rim.
They each have a “MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN” stamp on the sole in black ink; they are obviously two different imprints. This type of stamp was required on all imports from Japan during post-WWII, dating from 9.2.45 to 4.28.52. All Occupied Japan collectibles have the distinct advantage of accurate dating. These shoes are between 55 to 62 years old. There are no chips, cracks or crazing on either of these shoes.
Occupied Japan collectibles are sought after, since there are a finite number of items, and will only become more valuable. However currently these are not expensive shoes. Estimated collector value of the right shoe is $6 to $12 and of the left shoe, $4 to $8.
Information about the shoes was found in the books, Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001 and and The Collector’s Guide to Made in Japan Ceramics by Carol Bess White, published by Schroeder Publishing Co, 1996.
Vintage Art Pottery Baby Shoe #033
A very nicely made pink, pottery bootie, with impressions for eyelets on both edges and shoe strings. The tongue hangs over the vamp of the shoe.
The shoe is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks or crazing though shoes of this age always seem to look a little dusty, even when clean. There are the typical imperfections from firing which do not adversely affect the condition of the shoe.
Here the detail is seen. The shoe measures 4″ long, 2 1/2″ high and 2″ wide.
This baby shoe was given to Lillian P Wood in January 1950. “Prante” on the sole refers to Chloe Prante who was a member of the Northeast Garden Club in Quincy, IL with Lillian. The price, $1.00, is marked on the toe in light pencil.
There are no imprints or marks on this bootie, but it does appear to be of the quality seen in the mid range US art potteries. Most of these shoes were not marked. These type of “bootie planters” are plentiful and estimated value is $8 to $15.
Information regarding pottery shoes found in Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001. Other information obtained from personal papers and interviews with BJ.
Green Ceramic Baby Booties #032
This pair of ceramic booties have details of ribbons and lace bodies. Each measures 2 1/2″ in length by 1 3/8″ in height by 1 1/2″ in width. They are not attached.
They were a gift to Lillian P Wood as a souvenir of a trip to The Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri by relatives. The Ozark string of lakes were a product of the Tennessee Valley Authority projects in the 1930s, so these shoes were purchased after that date, thought to be in the late 1940s or early 1950s.
They are an unusual find in baby booties because of their unique color. There are no identifying marks or labels. They are in excellent condition with no cracks, chips or crazing. The quality of these shoes is that of many of the art potteries in the United States. Their estimated value is $10 to $15.
Information regarding ceramic figural and shoes found in Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001. Other information from interview with BJ.
Blue Souvenir Baby Shoe #030
This light blue baby shoe has an open tongue and mild impressions of eyelets on the upper edge of the shoe. It also has impressions of creases on the vamp or upper and lines where the individual “leather” pieces would have joined. It is made of a moderately good grade of porcelain and it lightweight. There are no chips, cracks or crazing on the shoe.
The shoe measures 4 5/8″ in length, 3 7/8 in height and is 2 1/8″ wide. Although it looks as if it could have been used as a planter, it is clean and unused in the interior.
The shoe is decorated with flower sprigs on both sides. On the vamp is a souvenir picture of a building and street scene. The shoe is marked NEW ORLEANS, LA above the scene and LACE BALCONIES below the scene. This is a well visited tourist stop in the French Quarter of New Orleans. These balconies are very lovely. To see an actual photograph of a set of them in New Orleans go to http://www.frenchquarter.com/uploads/imageThumbs/zhm9c03unq2k3w6r.jpg
The abbreviations for the states were established in October of 1964 by the United States Postal Service. This shoe is marked with the LA abbreviation for Louisiana so it was made after 1964.
The label is intact and on the sole of the heel. Silver and black, it says “TOPS IN QUALITY JAPAN SPIN original.” There is no information regarding the SPIN original name on the internet or in the research books. However, recently there are two pieces of this brand’s products on eBay – a girl figurine in very good condition that sold for $8.50 and a figural dog with a small chip that sold for $5.00. Neither, however, were souvenir pieces.
This shoe is in excellent condition and has souvenir value as well. With its intact mark and the name of the Japanese maker labeled on the shoe its value will be higher than shoes without these features. Estimated collector value is $15 to $20 dollars. Its manufacturing date is probably in the late 1960s and 1970s, making this shoe approximately 35 to 40 years old
Information regarding porcelain versus pottery figural and shoes in in Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001. Other information from personal papers of BP.
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