These are my great grand parents. They performed in the late 1880's and 1890's with Keith's and Barlow Bros. Minstrel Shows mainly in New England.
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Albums: My minstrel ancestor
My grandmother told me that his shoes were "expensive and specially made" but she didn't mention whether or not they had any particular function. She did say that the shoes were the part of his costume that he would commonly pawn in order to have money for booze. I'm assuming if the pawnbroker was willing to take them, he must have been confident that he would be able to sell them if need be. Perhaps to another performer? Who else would buy them? I've never seen similar shoes in other period photos of minstrels.
They remind me a little of Willie Hall's shoes:
I can see no other reason for the straight-cut across toes...except for rocking up onto your toes in these reinforced flat 'flipper' shoes. If you weren't going up on your toes as part of the act, then you could probably just wear regular oversized clown-ish type shoes.
Those videos were hilarious! I wasn't familiar with Willie Hall. Very entertaining! Thanks for sharing!
I just thinking that Willie Hall's shoes may have evolved from special custom shoes similar to your grandfather's...for the very real purpose of doing funny physical comedy tricks.
I think you're onto something there Strumelia, I wonder the same thing when I saw those shoes.
I think Little Tich may predate Willy Hall.
Wow...check out that Tich! yes definitely predates Willie! One comment that Tich had 6 fingers on each hand, and looks like he does in the video. So these tippy-toe comic shoes were a 'thing' going way back.
Here I go getting expansive again but, here's a bit more on the shoes
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O168698/theatre-costume-unknown/
and a different character by Little Tish
Wow! Fascinating.
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