Queen Elisabeth’s Buskins.

historic, shoes, Tudor, buskin, fashion, England, 16th century,

Buskin of Elizabeth I of England

QUEEN ELIZABETH’S BUSKINS.

Tudor era

PLATE IX

FROM A DRAWING BY THE AUTHOR.

ONE of a pair of riding-boots, or buskins, of elegant shape and excellent workmanship. They are made of soft leather of a rich brown color, stitched with white thread; the heels, covered with leather of the same color, are of wood, and are 3 inches high; the soles at the thickest part are 3/4 of an inch; a continuous layer of brown leather covers both heels and soles. The entire length from the base of the heel to the toe is 7 inches.

The legs are open at the sides and are pierced for lacing; their total height is 18 inches, and they are lined with fawn-colored silk some five inches from the tops: there are four holes on the instep of the buskins, through which a cord or ribbon would be passed to draw the latchets together, to which probably a rosette would be fastened.

These buskins, which undoubtedly belonged to Queen Elizabeth, are in perfect preservation, and are kept among the treasures of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.

Royal and historic gloves and shoes by W. B. Redfern. London 1904.

Leave a Reply