This May Be the One and Only
As far as I can tell, my research has turned up no other active web sites or blogs that focus on miniature shoes and collections. I found many sites selling the ‘new, collectible’ miniature shoe lines and there were some sites featuring craftspeople and artists dealing with miniature shoes, but no sites about miniature shoes themselves. I did find quite a large number of miniature shoes on eBay.com in many varieties and prices. There is usually a good description of these offerings and is therefore a good source of information when applied cautiously.
I’m not surprised there are so few resources. (How many miniature shoe collectors do you know?) When I first obtained this collection in 1993, nearly 15 years ago, I began to research the various shoes. After searching for many months, I found two authors who had books with photographs, descriptions and estimated values of miniature shoes, mostly from their own collections. First I found the book ‘Shoes of Glass‘ (1989) by Libby Yalom at an antique mall inscribed with the author’s autograph on the inside cover. Then I came across Earlene Wheatley’s ‘Collectible Glass Shoes,’ both in the first (1996) and second editions (2001). I later purchased Libby Yalom’s second book, Shoes of Glass 2 (2001).
I have recently discovered the existence of a third book on the topic. It is ‘Porcelain and Pottery Shoes‘ by Anne Everest Wojtkowski (2004), but have yet to get a copy.
There is little written on the subject, though if you take a trip through almost any antique store, you will find a variety of shoes from many differen eras at a variety of prices. Most people have at least one or two collectible or antique shoes in their homes. If you doubt this, consider if you own Barbie shoes, Santa’s boots’ ornaments, the ubiquitous wooden Dutch shoe or the sentimental baby shoe planter. 
If any of you are miniature shoe collectors or simply big fans, let me know. I would love to start an interest group or simply trade info back and forth. Eventually I will have a website dedicated to miniature shoe collecting.
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I have no idea how I landed on your website, but it is really enjoyable! Keep up the good work, and I’ll keep checking back on your progress with this sizable project.
Hi there! my dad has been collecting shoes foe 25 years and has obtained well over 1000 pieces. All types including, old pot and ceramic (not new as it has no value at all), chinese shoes from 18th century, brass, silver, snuff boxes…… he really has them all!!! we have been looking for quite some time as to how much the collection would be worth and to get some history on the shoes. some are so small that you need a magnefine glass to see the detail!! You are perfectely correct in that there are few websites that dedicate themselves to minature shoes. You are the first person that i have heard of who has a collection as big as my dads. please respond as im sure we could help each other out. look forward to hearing from you, Myles (UK)
Myles Shaw: Perhaps I have just left an extensive note to a relative (father?), Ivor Shaw, under the heading in my blog “This May Be the One and Only” I cannot find your e-mail address at this time, but I am very interested in sharing info on our shoe collections.
My mom and I enjoy collecting glass shoes and with her recent passing, I have inherited her collection. I was looking for an site to give me an “idea” of some of the shoes value and happened upon your site.
I totally love this site. I have an couple of the shoes, that you have listed here, made in Occupied Japan, which were the ones I was wondering about to begin with.
I love how you have dedicated an site to your passion and am bookmarking!
Rhonda
My grandmother also willed me her shoe collection. She has a little over 200 shoes. My father has diligently taken a picture of every shoe. If you are interested in the seeing the pictures let me know, I will be happy to share and would be interested to know if you recognize any especially rare or valuable shoes in the collection. I am glad to have found this site. Thanks, Sarah.
My mother collected shoes for years and I now have boxes of them (two or three hundred shoes?). I have no idea how much they would be worth as a collection, or perhaps individual items could be sold on ebay? One or two particular ones include a metal inkpot shoe (£31.50 30 years ago), a brass inlay snuff box shoe (bought for £30 about 30 years ago), a tiny pair of leather brogues (bought for £22 about 30 years ago, W H Goss Queen Victoria slipper, loads of pretty glass/china shoes/boots, clogs of all shapes, materials and sizes, etc. Have you any idea what I could do with this interesting collection? Susan Swan (UK)
I stumbled onto your site and have really enjoyed browsing your amazing collection!!
I am a collector and recently became interested in miniature shoes. I only have about 12 to date but I garage sale and thrift store continually and am fascinated with the variety. How would one go about researching the various shoes. Anyway, I love your website. Marj in Canada.
I love your collection. I collect miniatures of all sorts. If it’s small, I love it. Your grandmother would be proud to know that you love the shoes as much as she did. Just think each and every shoe holds a memory of hers……
I collect “just the right shoe” by Raine. Well over 600 now.I love anything miniature but shoes are my passion. I have a “shoe room”, everything in it is about shoes.Plates,coasters.telephone,glass table with stocking legs and red stilletos,calendar,lamps, the list is endless, I even have a house key with shoes on. I do have a few older shoes but I’m mainly into high heels. I do love your collection, even though they are different we still share the same passion.