tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49498381703299761342024-03-27T02:37:45.277-04:00Step Into the Bata Shoe MuseumBata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-80164546263744981582022-08-21T10:00:00.004-04:002022-08-21T10:00:00.207-04:00 Documentation Photography, Part 1: The Image Capture Process <!DOCTYPE html>
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A pair of black leather high top athletic shoes, c. 1920s, photographed in three ways to capture all of their characteristics.
<p style="text-align:left">In my last blog installment, I announced the 2022 Digital Photography Project that is run with the assistance of the Government of Canada’s Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations employment program. Since that blog was posted, we have been busy capturing images of artefacts in the collection. In this blog and upcoming blogs, I will go over some of the details involved in taking the actual picture, processing the image files, and getting the images saved safely to the right place.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">The preparation to photograph starts with selecting the artefacts in the storage area. Having been trained in the principles of safe artefact handling, the project team’s artefact handler Catharine Solomon gathers a trolley. She has selected objects that are going into the new exhibition All Dolled Up: Fashioning Cultural Expectations. A few of the items in that exhibition haven’t yet been photographed, and this needs to be done before they are installed as we will need documentation photos for reference while the exhibition is up. So Catharine pulls the catalogue datasheets for the objects flagged for photography (note the orange tags), and collects the artefacts from the storage area, placing them on the trolley. The photography room is just down the hall, and there she has a workspace set up with space to prepare the artefacts. Preparing the artefact most often requires the removal of storage mounts.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">With the artefact prepared for photography, she places it on the shooting surface, centering it because the shooting surface and seamless backdrop are quite narrow at only 6 feet wide. Now the image capture begins!</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">Using a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera -- a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV – we capture the images in RAW format, saving each shot to the memory card and to the computer workstation, to which the camera is tethered. Shooting on the Manual setting, and using the 50mm range on the zoom lens, we shoot for maximum depth-of-field keeping the f-stop at f22. The Canon camera has complementary software that allows for remote shooting, so we never have to touch the camera and risk ‘shake’ of the image. The camera also allows for Live View shooting that gives a preview of what the camera is seeing. This large preview displays on the computer workstation. This feature gives the three of us the ability to see what is being captured while we remain a safe 2-metres apart for COVID-19 safety. </p>
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The remote shooting program open on the left screen, and the Live View shooting program in operation on the right screen.
<p style="text-align:left">Our lighting setup is simple. We have four 18” lamp heads on tripod stands. Each lamp has a nylon diffuser on its face. The lamps are fitted with cool compact bulbs, a necessity in our very small, not-well ventilated photography room. We arrange the lighting so that two lamps illuminate the backdrop and two lamps illuminate the artefact.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">As Christine Spenuk, project photographer, checks for lighting, exposure, focus and composition issues, she captures a few test shots of the artefact. Getting all of the settings perfect for each shot takes time and attention. Both Catharine and Christine check for the quality of the image and even lighting. They keep a logbook of the artefacts they have shot that includes a list of the shots per artefact, the composition of each shot, and the file name of the best shot. This logbook will help with the later steps in processing. The catalogue datasheet that stays with the artefact is also updated with a penciled notation of the date it was photographed.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">The final step is to check the composition to see if the shot is showing the most important characteristics of the artefact. Depending on the artefact, curators and researchers may want to see a specific aspect of the shoe emphasized in the shot, perhaps the heel, the closure mechanism, the toe shape, the silhouette or the vamp. Finding a composition and shooting angle that best represents the shoe in an overall shot is sometimes very challenging. This is where creativity comes into play.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">After capturing the overall shot, we take at least two additional shots: a profile and a sole shot. So often the sole of the shoe is not seen, and the sole can give a good deal of information, so this in an important shot. If there are finer details on the shoe that should be captured, we will do additional shots. For very close detail shots, we change the lens on the camera to a 100mm macro lens and shoot with an f-stop of f/32, for the best depth-of-field.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">After all of the angles have been shot, the artefact is ready to be prepped to go back into storage. The storage mounts that were initially removed are put back into place, and the artefact is placed on the trolley for the short trip back to the storage room.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">In the next blog, I will talk about the image file processing that comes next in the process.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada’s Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations employment program.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">Suzanne Petersen, Collections Manager</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-65711197108090041092022-07-17T10:00:00.026-04:002022-07-17T10:00:00.208-04:00Conservation of a Pair of 18th Century Shoes<p style="text-align:left">I am retiring this summer and thought my last conservation treatment should connect to the first one. Thirty-four years ago I was hired to work on the women’s 18th century collection. It was a unique moment, as there was a BSM collection but no exhibition space. Myself and another conservator conserved the footwear that was most in need of intervention.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">These shoes were purchased in 1982 from a dealer specializing in historic clothing and accessories. While the embroidered silk faille vamps were very pretty, it was obvious someone had fiddled significantly with the quarters on both shoes. Remnants of the original silk faille were glued to a figured silk satin. Random embroidery elements some original, a couple with a completely different aesthetic, were also glued to the replacement fabric.</p>
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The flower on the left is a completely different style than the finely executed flower on the right.
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<p style="text-align:left">The adhesive was disfiguring and damaging. It was an orangey-yellow colour, composed of brittle islands on the silk, as well as the leather lining to which it had been attached. The hard patches of adhesive were cutting through the desiccated fibres of the remaining faille. In several of areas the adhesive had dried out causing losses of embroidery, as witnessed by adhesive stains to which nothing was attached. The original silk ribbon binding was extant along the top edges of the tongue extensions but completely missing along the tops of the quarters. It had been replaced during the previous ‘restoration’.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">After discussing these issues with the curator it was decided the figured silk satin should be replaced with a silk faille, the adhesive residue should be removed as much as possible and the replacement ribbon would be reused. Solvents were tested to determine which one would be best at removing the disfiguring adhesive. The topline ribbon was removed first, by clipping the stitches with a pair of curved blade scissors to prevent nicking the original fabric. Then the adhesive securing the original fabric to the replacement needed to be reduced in order to detach these components, and finally the quarters were removed.</p>
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Left: adhesive stains
Right: removing adhesive residue from embroidery
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<p style="text-align:left">The original faille was ivory but over time developed a very faint brown discolouration. The new faille, and hair silk for sewing, were dyed with tea to impart an aged appearance. The most complete replacement quarter was used as a template from which to cut the new quarters. It was lasted into the sole seam with a reversible adhesive and a spatula, taking into consideration that the weave of the new fabric needed to match the direction of the weave of the original remnants. The quarter was secured to the leather lining with tiny clips and rare earth magnets as anchors. The new fabric was sewn with hair silk and a fine beading needle that was passed through existing stitch holes along the topline.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">Finding a replacement ribbon similar in weave and width to the 18th century ribbon is virtually impossible, at least I have yet to find a suitable source. The topline binding that came with the shoes was sewn back in place using the same technique as for the new quarters (hair silk, beading needle).</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">The treatment has stabilized the original fabric to prevent further damage, resulting in a shoe that looks more in keeping with the intention of the shoemaker.</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-83584095023102695442022-07-03T15:17:00.027-04:002022-07-03T15:17:00.219-04:00Summer 2022 Young Canada Works Project at the Bata Shoe Museum<p style="text-align:left">This summer I am joined by Emma Pakstas and Eric Watters, both graduate students in Toronto Metropolitan University’s Photography Preservation and Collections Management program at the Creative School. Their work with me on the Digital Photography Project here at the Bata Shoe Museum is funded in part by the Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations program, Government of Canada.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">Shooting in high resolution digital format with a Canon E0S 5D Mark IV, the photos produced during the project are publishable quality, allowing the museum to expand its reach to visitors, researchers and online visitors. </p>
<p style="text-align:left">After the initial two weeks of intensive training in our photography process and in artefact handling procedures, the three of us have started to work through this summer’s shot list. Starting with a large stockings and sock collection we acquired in 2018, we are now photographing the Museum’s shoe art holdings which includes works by Marion Borgelt, Marilyn Levine, and Victor Guillen, to name a few. After that segment is done, we’ll move on to shoot new acquisitions. </p>
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In this video you can see Emma gently moving this pair of black silk stockings into place on the photo backdrop.
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<p style="text-align:left">Emma Pakstas is trained as the Artefact Handler for the project and is tasked with the safe and proper movement of artefacts. She plans the shot-order and the movement of the artefacts from the storage rooms to the photography studio where she prepares the objects for photography by removing storage mounts. After placing an artefact on the photo backdrop, she works with the Photographer to perfect the composition of the shot, moving the artefact slightly in order to capture its most photographic angle, and it’s most important features.</p>
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Eric records the details in the logbook and selects the photo for processing.
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<p style="text-align:left">Eric Watters is trained as the Artefact Photographer for the project. His work involves lighting, composition, exposure, focus and depth of field. He sets up the photography equipment for each shot and maintains the equipment, making sure he captures each object at its best angle, allowing its most important features to be captured. He also tracks all of the shots in a journal, a helpful reference for the image processing steps that follow.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">After the actual shooting is done, the team will process, resize, format and renamed the image files. The metadata for each image is collected in an excel sheet. Finally, the images will be uploaded to the Museum’s collections management database, along with the metadata.
The final step for the three of us on the project team is to update the data sheet hard copies for each artefact. These data sheets are kept next to every single object in the artefact storage room, for quick reference. It’s a great system that merges the digital with the analog, making information accessibility very straightforward for the whole curatorial team.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada’s Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations employment program.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">Suzanne Petersen, Collections Manager<p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-30732355088513849212022-06-25T10:00:00.002-04:002022-06-25T10:00:00.213-04:00Writing a Condition Report<p style="text-align:left">It’s important to have written and visual documentation on the condition of an artefact. This allows one to keep track of any changes to the materials, particularly for footwear composed of modern materials. Condition reports are written for incoming loans when other institutions and private collectors lend to upcoming exhibitions at the BSM. We also compose reports for outgoing loans to other museums that are borrowing to enhance the content of their future exhibitions. This allows the conservators at the destination to determine if any damage has occurred during shipment when comparing accompanying documentation.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">The selected artefact is first photographed from a variety of angles (right foot first: sole, proper right side, vamp, proper left side, heel area and interior). Close-ups are taken of independent elements and to track potential changes in existing damage. Next, their documentation file is examined to see if there is any relevant information, such as a list of materials sourced from the manufacturer or previous conservation treatments.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">The images are processed through Photoshop and printed off. The written report follows the same geography as the photography session. Additional information can include: if there are stains on internal supports or strong or unusual odours (and I’m not referring to stinky feet! which is a common question but a very rare occurrence). For instance, rubber can have a strong sulphur smell which is referred to as outgassing or off gassing and can cause internal supports to turn yellow over time.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">Any physical abnormalities or unexpected historical additions are noted on the printed photographs. The condition report is attached to the annotated images and the documentation is added to the artefact file.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">Currently we are examining plastics that have the potential to deteriorate. The shoes, pictured below, are covered with a polyurethane film that gives them the shiny white patent look. The vamp, which in parts is still shiny, has become quite dull and there are fine cracks in the film emanating from the holes created by the top stitching. These shoes were purchased by actor Catherine O’Hara as part of an outfit she created when reprising her character Lola Heatherton for a charity event. They were donated to the BSM in 2018.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">Writing these condition reports is part of a much larger project. As mentioned in previous blogs, we are trying to determine which shoes will be moved to the new, retro fitted storage room. These baseline reports will establish current condition so that we have a reference with which to monitor any changes to component materials over time.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">As we prepared for the new exhibition, <i>Future Now</i>, condition reports are updated or if they don’t already exist, baseline documents are created. This pair of sneakers was purchased specifically for the aforementioned exhibition. When they are new, fresh from the manufacturer, it’s the best time to write a report and photograph all the component materials in their original state. Details are taken of all the elements including the aglets at the ends of the laces.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">Writing these reports is an ongoing project. It gives the conservator an opportunity to examine each shoe up close and in detail. Listing all the materials used in each structural component allows the observer to witness how they age over time as well as interact with each other.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">Ada Hopkins</p>
<p style="text-align:left">Conservator</p>Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-2515161994683190712022-06-12T10:00:00.004-04:002022-06-12T10:00:00.206-04:00Travels with the BSM: Taiwan<p style="text-align:left">I have had the good fortune to be able to travel as a representative of the BSM to install artefacts or exhibitions in museums around the world. The first trip was to Taipei, Taiwan in June 2001. The Canadian Trade Office (CTO), based in Taipei, contacted Mrs. Bata to see if it would be possible to send a curated exhibition on the history of Western fashion footwear. The exhibition was part of a greater CTO initiative that included the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), as well as several Canadian authors.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">The exhibition, <i>Shoes in Fashion from 200 to 2000</i>, was planned in Toronto without the aid of email when faxes were the default means of long distance communications. John Vollmer, Vollmer Cultural Consultants Inc., was the project manager/curator/catalogue author and Reich + Petch were the exhibit/casework designers. The planning had its challenges: different primary languages, completely different time zones and multiple parties trying to bring everything together in a timely fashion so that casework could be fabricated and catalogues printed in Taiwan.</p>
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Left:catalogue front cover © Bata Shoe Museum Right: back of catalogue, photo by Ron Wood
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<p style="text-align:left">Once all the conservation and condition reports were completed, everything was packed into five crates and shipped via Air Canada to Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport, Taipei. The artefacts, which arrived a week before John and myself, were picked up by drivers from National Museum of History (NMH), the host institution.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">We had one day to ourselves and took in as many cultural sites as possible: National Palace Museum, Shung Ye Museum (featuring the belongings of Taiwanese indigenous peoples) displaying artefacts on loan from the ROM, and the Hsing Tien Temple.</p>
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Left: National Palace Museum, Peellden, wikimedia.org/3672985
Right: Hsing Tien Temple, tripadivsor.ca
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<p style="text-align:left">It took us four days to install the exhibition. We were assisted by a volunteer, who had completed a work placement at the BSM, and just happened to be visiting a friend in Taipei. Cora Ginsberg LLC, based in New York City, loaned a woman’s 18th century dress to augment the exhibition. The threads on some of the seams had disintegrated over time, and with the owner’s permission, John and I performed a round of guerilla textile conservation one evening using a repair kit provided by the hotel in which we were staying, along with supplies from a local fabric store.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">The staff at the NMH were most accommodating, making repairs to broken casework as we experienced two earthquakes over a period of twelve hours. We accomplished a lot in a short period of time aided by many strong Taiwanese iced coffee to combat the jet lag which never seemed to go away! We took our lunch breaks in the museum’s cafeteria, next to the incredibly beautiful lotus pond behind the NMH.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">The opening of the exhibition was celebrated with officials from the Taiwanese and Canadian governments as well as Mr. and Mrs. Bata. The day was concluded with a lovely dinner at the home of the head of the Canadian Office of Trade, overlooking the city.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">Ada Hopkins</p>
<p style="text-align:left">BSM Conservator</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-48055798431540269632022-05-01T10:00:00.013-04:002022-05-03T12:55:39.973-04:00Technology and Design for Speed and Agility<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_Vg0b0wX5vRQPYv002gi3Z-X9xL5Rl7Dh1Y9ZTNlEECEfA4nfN4wDdafWxEp6Bbo7LFToG5zbPV2IVflG8s0s0Lh1vTlycBTJJ59Jsf5NiITtQIBBqd7dlKtRIYVbXmOErhHs1QvbjyqXKYzXHujr8Ekr9JEAQbmK9eIqr2CWGbu-AfhQYHbIfs1/s1600/_Overview%20image%20X981.882.4.16.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="2106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_Vg0b0wX5vRQPYv002gi3Z-X9xL5Rl7Dh1Y9ZTNlEECEfA4nfN4wDdafWxEp6Bbo7LFToG5zbPV2IVflG8s0s0Lh1vTlycBTJJ59Jsf5NiITtQIBBqd7dlKtRIYVbXmOErhHs1QvbjyqXKYzXHujr8Ekr9JEAQbmK9eIqr2CWGbu-AfhQYHbIfs1/s1600/_Overview%20image%20X981.882.4.16.jpg" /></a></div>
Canada’s champion skater Ralph McCreath in the mid-1940s wearing the newer type of boot and blade. © Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
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<p style="text-align: left;">We are celebrating the official launch of our new virtual exhibition <i>Boots & Blades: The Story of Canadian Figure Skating</i> at <a href="https://bootsandblades.ca/">bootsandblades.ca</a>. The exhibition is in French and in English and contains information on the development of the sport from 1600 to 2022. There are over 40 rarely seen videos and more than 350 images, artefacts and audio clips. The site is fully accessible with captioning, transcripts and more.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">This blog will focus on some of the research that went into two sections of bootsandblades.ca: “1920-1945 Form Follows Function” and “1945-1965: Age of Internationalism.” Previously, I’ve written about early blade technology and also the origins of maker marks applied on skates. Both of these approaches give clues to when the skate was made. As we move forward in time to the middle of the 20th century, the sport continued to develop. At this time, skaters were doing fancy figures much less, having reduced the practice of tracing figure-8s and other line shapes into the ice. There was still a figure-8 component to the sport (figures), but it accounted for about half of the skill-set required to be a champion. The other half of the assessment was the free skate component. This is where changes in the sport were dramatic! The sport was getting more athletic and there were changes to the technique of figure skating.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">So, how could a skater improve their performance in the free skate category? Adapting the skates to their needs was one way. Technology of materials and improvements in design are two areas in which we see skates improve at this time.</p>
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Unworn high-end skating boots made by E. Schmacher a.s., St. Moritz, Switzerland, c. 1930 -1938. Note the rounded toe for more toe movement. A view of the bottom shows the markings for blade placement.
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<p style="text-align: left;"><i>Boot design</i>. Boot design was improved by lowering the leg shaft to just below the skater’s calf, allowing for more free knee and ankle movement. The boot also allowed for more room in the toe area and a good fit over the instep provided improved overall support. The 1930s Schmacher boots shown here have all these features. It is interesting to note that boots and blades were still manufactured and sold by separate companies at this time for all levels of customers. High-end boots and blades have continued to be made and purchased separately, and still are to this day, but skates intended for leisure by the general public started to be sold as a ‘kit’ around this time. As the cost of skates came down, more people could buy them. Incidentally, one of the first companies to offer the kit of boots with blades was Spalding in the United States of America.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><i>Blade design</i>. Blades in the early 20th century were supported with only two stanchions. The toe of the blade was not connected and simply curled upwards, artfully. In the 1930s, a third point of connection became popular and it remains on blades today. This third connection is at the toe, as is illustrated by this early pair by CCM. This design improved stability at the front of the blade, making it preferred for the more athletic movements of the new skating style. The toe pick feature would be integrated on this type of blade soon after.</p>
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These CCM blades are marked with the Toronto Junction CCM factory location. Canadian, c. 1930-40s.
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Note that the blade is connected to the sole mount in three places.
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<p style="text-align: left;"><i>Technology</i>. The new free skate category required skaters to have a good grip of the ice. Sharpening the blades with deeper edges improves grip and control on the ice. The other effect of deeper edges is reduction in speed. The skater has to push ever harder to move when the blade has deep edges. A balance is needed therefore: not too much edge, just enough to grip the ice and enough for the moves performed. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The edges create resistance, and in doing that they slow the speed of the skater. Shallow edges allow the skater stability, speed and smooth motions. Speed skates, for example, have shallow edges. Deeper edges allow for precise moves needed for complex footwork and jumps. The deeper blade sharpening curve is used by free skaters today, allowing the needed control for the athletics. Still, blades that are cut too deep will slow down the skater, cutting too deeply into the ice. A precise balance is needed to achieve the correct blade sharpening to the exact needs of the skater.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Getting the right boots and blades is critical to a skater’s performance. The design and technology of skates is improving and changing all of the time. Beyond skates, the other aspects that will influence a skater’s performance include the quality of the ice surface, training, coaching, practice and artistry to name a few.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Suzanne Petersen, Collections Manager</p>
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The older boot style with higher leg shaft and narrow, pointed toe influenced by street attire. Wilson Skating Shoes catalogue, 1935-1936. Courtesy Yvonne Butorac
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The older blade style with only two stanchions. C.C.M. advertisement in the Toronto Skating Club Carnival Program, 1932. Courtesy Yvonne Butorac
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0lqZv0k47w5U38R1AYGTk9QFzP3fmAeunLvc6zI2gbdmTMI1ct0yIiQ36O3RFcMlvh5SkJ52nbabwYrzejbiWjuPBkY_BdZ09RSBrNpfylPv99pHO9ao527kQrt-TYvidORTeiHH6HU03zqzlZHWt-GwekQ-eGMDB85z642wnIZTIj-sGxrgP5mi/s1600/03c%20OHOF03.02.0313.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1858" data-original-width="2463" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0lqZv0k47w5U38R1AYGTk9QFzP3fmAeunLvc6zI2gbdmTMI1ct0yIiQ36O3RFcMlvh5SkJ52nbabwYrzejbiWjuPBkY_BdZ09RSBrNpfylPv99pHO9ao527kQrt-TYvidORTeiHH6HU03zqzlZHWt-GwekQ-eGMDB85z642wnIZTIj-sGxrgP5mi/s1600/03c%20OHOF03.02.0313.jpg" /></a></div>
Wearing the older styles of boot and blades, French champions Andrée Joly and Pierre Brunet perform in the late 1920s. Courtesy Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame]
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-39107747365662124782022-04-17T10:00:00.017-04:002022-04-17T10:00:00.217-04:00Storage Room Project: Phase 1<p style="text-align: left;">Right off the bat, I want to apologize for the quality of the photographs. The room in which we are working has extremely limited lighting, which results in murky images! In February, we removed all the tables that had been used for temporary storage in the future permanent storage room. The first step in retrofitting the room involved examining the two exterior walls to determine if all the surrounding city construction had compromised their impermeability. There were several vertical cracks in both walls that needed to be excised for the engineer to examine.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRRUrZ1vv3axYPoU1-gkZh2gRAWb8BNl6EJOftQEuFy1SyGQhNzYc7TitaFNj0G7dcxKAg7HAMQ0tOPWZk4Kf7496Yjx8s1hb9y9IcuSSzYFMKSxlxhdGzdUZMdYUGOx2MnAITrreuOxfblBTzfZznuoqbXmMmyBtV-rQqWbiP82_zhXwjECi-B-n/s1600/061-Update-1.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="617" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRRUrZ1vv3axYPoU1-gkZh2gRAWb8BNl6EJOftQEuFy1SyGQhNzYc7TitaFNj0G7dcxKAg7HAMQ0tOPWZk4Kf7496Yjx8s1hb9y9IcuSSzYFMKSxlxhdGzdUZMdYUGOx2MnAITrreuOxfblBTzfZznuoqbXmMmyBtV-rQqWbiP82_zhXwjECi-B-n/s1600/061-Update-1.png" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">This stage created a lot of dust. To prevent the debris from moving through the HVAC system, filters were placed over all the intake vents, a sealed plastic curtain was hung in the hallway outside the room and a large hose to which a fan was attached pushed everything into an emergency stairwell.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0kevVvRSXuHuyretJ7ihbkOSRBesz-201fRKiYnxiLBzOecVK65UmRVT4eGYK5NgxR0UqF1k2oOVCQbMLeY6hN8Tvtes9PAlzoDcH46IpDBAr5uOeUzyqKtT5A4ErsS0n7oOYanuuykPP0SYgbCDCux6NMNEiKu_V94JOs-uERoUBYmYblsbat76/s1600/061-Update-2.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="571" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0kevVvRSXuHuyretJ7ihbkOSRBesz-201fRKiYnxiLBzOecVK65UmRVT4eGYK5NgxR0UqF1k2oOVCQbMLeY6hN8Tvtes9PAlzoDcH46IpDBAr5uOeUzyqKtT5A4ErsS0n7oOYanuuykPP0SYgbCDCux6NMNEiKu_V94JOs-uERoUBYmYblsbat76/s1600/061-Update-2.png" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">Once the engineer gave the ‘all clear’, the cracks were sealed, then filled to bring them even to the surfaces of the surrounding walls. After this treatment had dried, parging was applied to all the cracks as an extra cautionary step to prevent ingress of moisture. We also performed tests to see if moisture was rising up through the floor which is the pad the museum is built on. This was a very simple procedure: the floor sealant was ground off, a square of plastic placed over this area and all four sides of the patch taped to the cement floor. A hand held device called a concrete moisture metre was used to measure accumulated moisture which turned out to be insignificant. These two exploratory patches will remain on the floor as we work through the different stages of the retrofit. As we move into spring, a traditionally wet time of year, these patches will indicate if there is seasonal shift.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJpJf0EzYKDGQ7nWuKd8HTOG3PlbYG-2pw85ZooYXOH5mpHIafvTJUrMkdYjHBZHgFqZO0Ee-VdqddFNV2_QS8Jvxmf_xbc16fSw5F20xCV_ZMBk4mh-wLjBcIWFiiFjH4zn2yujb_rnm19DX4nMNwVNw4RQfW-I2J1w2I7ds_KQEXYFKBSX6hQMW/s1600/061-Update-3.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="673" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJpJf0EzYKDGQ7nWuKd8HTOG3PlbYG-2pw85ZooYXOH5mpHIafvTJUrMkdYjHBZHgFqZO0Ee-VdqddFNV2_QS8Jvxmf_xbc16fSw5F20xCV_ZMBk4mh-wLjBcIWFiiFjH4zn2yujb_rnm19DX4nMNwVNw4RQfW-I2J1w2I7ds_KQEXYFKBSX6hQMW/s1600/061-Update-3.png" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">Next step is to bring in electricians to install extra wall outlets and, as referenced at the beginning of this blog, much needed additional lighting! I’ll keep you updated with the progress.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Ada Hopkins</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">BSM Conservator</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-46768229089152607612022-03-20T10:00:00.001-04:002022-03-20T10:00:00.238-04:00Storing a Collection of Skates<p style="text-align: left;">In 1995, just before the BSM opened to the public, the entire artefact collection was moved from its temporary location to its new permanent home. Previously, space was limited and the entire skate collection was stored in boxes. Now with new shelving and more space, the dilemma was how to safely store these artefacts so that they would be visible.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">As one can imagine, skates do not naturally stand on their own! If left to their own devices, the skates would have to lie on their sides. This would expose the blades, creating potential for scratching their neighbours and making them challenging to handle. The storage solution needed to hold the skates in an upright position, support loose straps and shield the blades. The materials needed to be inert meaning they wouldn’t off gas, creating harmful vapours, which would make the metal corrode and cause degradation of the other materials of which the skates are composed. These could range from leather to modern plastics, depending on the age and specific function of the skate.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">We settled on traditional and tested materials: polyethylene (PE) foam and polypropylene (PP) corrugated plastic sheet (Coroplast). We decided that in the upright position, in its support tray, the skates needed to be visible from the front and the back. This meant that you could see what the upper section of the skates look like without having to take them off the shelf, reducing over handling.</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">The storage containers are tailor made for each pair of skates. Each skate was placed in an acrylic ‘puck’ that held them in an upright position. The pair was placed, side by side, one facing forward, its mate facing backwards with enough space between so that they would not touch. The centre foam block was cut to these measurements plus the length of the skate blade, which is usually longer than the boot. Next two side blocks were cut to the same length but to a narrower width which is determined by the distance from the side of the blade to the widest part of the boot or footrest. A sheet of PP was cut to a dimension that would enclose these PE blocks, creating a base and covering the sides. The exposed surface of the PE blocks was covered with PE foam sheet to prevent scratching the metal blades or the sole of the leather boots at the point of contact. The overlapping corners of the PP container were skived down, then secured with hot melt glue. The foam blocks were placed inside the container, leaving a space between the outer blocks and the central block into which the blades would nestle. A variety of solutions is used to support the leather straps as they vary in condition and design.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Lastly, the artefact number is applied to the front of the container for two reasons: to tell you what the artefact is without having to remove it from the shelf and to match the storage tray back up to the skates should they become separated.</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">The end result is a collection of 111 skates that stand vertically on the shelves in the storage room. The support container keeps everything tidy and makes it easy to lift the artefacts without incurring damage.</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">Ada Hopkins, Conservator</p>Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-27666021443151304972022-03-06T10:00:00.001-05:002022-03-06T10:00:00.234-05:00Boots & Blades: Early 20th century brand marks and models<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjg0sRgEvaSKMV9ysO1jX25sVdCD9GJ1AOI4FeeReOWFvElvUUpo77Tnb2KYm9h5twFQxlR1cOGnQ5bxq8z3zPpZDZzyvKdouL-RHLSnYooZaUOFeZ52PcjZUVSQxjbfQj41Rn_QJaM3ExzGcPfwjtjlTJXk6GP2sMXjQFs7pLtMjQLryD-kEqnR3No" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="2030" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjg0sRgEvaSKMV9ysO1jX25sVdCD9GJ1AOI4FeeReOWFvElvUUpo77Tnb2KYm9h5twFQxlR1cOGnQ5bxq8z3zPpZDZzyvKdouL-RHLSnYooZaUOFeZ52PcjZUVSQxjbfQj41Rn_QJaM3ExzGcPfwjtjlTJXk6GP2sMXjQFs7pLtMjQLryD-kEqnR3No" /></a></div>
John Wilson’s “The Syers Skate” blade, named after Madge Syers, the first women’s world champion, 1908. Maker of the boots is “The Lobby Shoes” company. Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum. Image © 2022 Bata Shoe Museum.
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<p style="text-align: left;">The skate research for <i><a href="https://www.bootsandblades.ca/">Boots & Blades: The Story of Canadian Figure Skating</a></i> took me down some fascinating ‘rabbit holes’ of interesting information and histories. In this blog, I will show the details we have found about three pair of skates. These are all from the 20th century.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The first pair here are tan leather boots fitted with blades that curl up in the front. These are constructed differently than the skates we use today. The toe has a ‘pick’, but the metal curl is set forward, so it does not connect with the mount plate of the blade. This would make it more unstable than the skates we have now. This type of toe curl and pick blade was developed in the 1870s, likely by A.G. Spalding & Bros. in the USA. The blades shown here were manufactured by John Wilson, the oldest known blade making company, at their factory in England in Portland Worms, Sheffield. The blades feature John Wilson’s trademark figure of a running greyhound dog on one side, and the model name "The Syers Skate" on the other.</p>
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Details of “The Syers Skate” blade. Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum. Image © 2022 Bata Shoe Museum.
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<p style="text-align: left;">Syers is the last name of Florence Madeleine Syers (née Cave) (1881 - 1917), best known as Madge Syers, who was a British figure skater. She is the namesake of this blade model. She is remarkable because she was the first woman to ever compete in figure skating. Before her involvement, women were simply not invited to compete as it was seen as a masculine aspect of the sport. She won the World championships in both 1906 and 1907, and then in 1908 when figure skating was part of the Summer Olympics in London, she won that honour as well. She was 27 years old; the oldest Olympic World figure skating gold medalist even today.
Syers, unfortunately, had to retire from figure skating shortly after the 1908 Olympics because of her health. She died of Influenza in 1917, at the young age of 35. Madge Syers was certainly an inspiration to many women in sport at that time. The availability of “The Syers” blade is little known, but this model was most likely created during her peak of influence in the mid to late part of the decade, 1905 to 1910.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Related to “The Syers” skate blade is this pair in the Bata Shoe Museum collection made by A.G. Spalding & Bros. in the USA. Spalding innovated the upturned-toe blade with toe pick feature in the 1870s, which is seen in "The Syers" pair above. They likely produced this “Continental” model for several decades. To narrow down the date range for this pair of skates, we dug further into the name of the boot manufacturer.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGTgSJSiZdrznLJ1MHaKqRz7HISU2xk7sim46B7EqbBE7uLAQZxQ0L_9blJKCQzykyCPHS7Vd5fVcSyoUmdncvyZNhDYKkHTNPxQ3VnUywxVE3qYNBhTe2zY-adWnLn7uVXw42Dl7YE_nprLFPjVkOsvrwmJvl1jpc2Yl5MHMqSQL1TuaiYiKJ4q7Z" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="2015" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGTgSJSiZdrznLJ1MHaKqRz7HISU2xk7sim46B7EqbBE7uLAQZxQ0L_9blJKCQzykyCPHS7Vd5fVcSyoUmdncvyZNhDYKkHTNPxQ3VnUywxVE3qYNBhTe2zY-adWnLn7uVXw42Dl7YE_nprLFPjVkOsvrwmJvl1jpc2Yl5MHMqSQL1TuaiYiKJ4q7Z" /></a></div>
Skate blades manufactured by A.G. Spalding & Bros. in the USA, fitted on boots made by the Northern Shoe Company, circa 1906 - 1918. Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum. Image © 2022 Bata Shoe Museum.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj49Z_lzulkl4WcnNsuYtV6U2aBqqEymh5Bop-aYRQSnt6Rhw5VSsuOsspcgmOjvFNsT6x7R4eCdc75OjZ-qpDXfbWajvWme-TC9DODZPeYPrNQ_dmOSzg17XnpeQfszrb5ZOoUFuWsKQJ9Y32yREwJj8f5fD-Az3z1gidv9KWzh02vY_-5JWv7jItQ" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="2022" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj49Z_lzulkl4WcnNsuYtV6U2aBqqEymh5Bop-aYRQSnt6Rhw5VSsuOsspcgmOjvFNsT6x7R4eCdc75OjZ-qpDXfbWajvWme-TC9DODZPeYPrNQ_dmOSzg17XnpeQfszrb5ZOoUFuWsKQJ9Y32yREwJj8f5fD-Az3z1gidv9KWzh02vY_-5JWv7jItQ" /></a></div>
Details of the Spalding/Northern pair of skates showing the maker’s marks indicating “Duluth Hockey Shoe” model and the Northern Shoe Company. Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum. Image © 2022 Bata Shoe Museum.
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<p style="text-align: left;">This pair of skates has been dated circa 1906 to 1918 because of the information we found about the boot manufacturer. The boots are the ‘Duluth Hockey Shoe’ model, made by the Northern Shoe Co., in Minnesota. That boot was produced after the Phillip-Bell Shoe company became the Northern Shoe Company in 1906, and a subdivision called Duluth Hockey was created. By 1910, Northern Shoe's four hundred workers produced 1,500 pairs of boots and shoes per day and sold over $1 million of footwear a year. It was a successful company with its own rail line and a dock for loading freighters. In 1918, the owner renamed the business A.J. Hartman Shoe Company.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The curl toe blade was produced in many countries over the period 1870 to 1930. This German-made pair is another example in the Bata Shoe Museum collection. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPPX7iZ-vsUwuvowz1O9U_nhea_CIeGg2swf5GxGqQ7GdFk9AHfp204Ifq9IJnzj5Fj-v8IkN4zOgSPtuMNWYWU-z8j3xBcRRi414AZeCtdUjZKIFAYnybwmVTUg9aNtTOydOMMQ3F1iUJ5TXYLUOiiuoSKxLQa7t61puIylBhggjSXL9FOgf7WdZy" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="2063" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPPX7iZ-vsUwuvowz1O9U_nhea_CIeGg2swf5GxGqQ7GdFk9AHfp204Ifq9IJnzj5Fj-v8IkN4zOgSPtuMNWYWU-z8j3xBcRRi414AZeCtdUjZKIFAYnybwmVTUg9aNtTOydOMMQ3F1iUJ5TXYLUOiiuoSKxLQa7t61puIylBhggjSXL9FOgf7WdZy" /></a></div>
Skates manufactured by Germany’s Euchs brand showing the toe curl design that extends in front of the skaters boot. “Special” blade model. Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum. Image © 2022 Bata Shoe Museum.
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<p style="text-align: left;">Suzanne Petersen, Collections Manager</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-12846145864803176402022-02-23T10:00:00.001-05:002022-03-04T09:50:10.537-05:00Conservation for a Virtual Exhibition<p style="text-align: left;">Last year the BSM received funding to support an online exhibition about the history of figure skating. This project was managed by the BSM's Collections Manager Suzanne Petersen. In the late spring of 2021 she went through all the skates in the BSM collection to determine which ones would best tell the story. Once her selections were finalized, I examined the skates to see which ones required treatment in preparation for photography.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Out of 53 pairs of skates 14 pairs needed conservation. Once COVID restrictions were eased, I was able to work full time at the museum. I had two months to complete my portion of the project before handing everything over to the photography team. There was a group of eight pairs of skates, from the 19th century, composed of wooden footrests, into which steel blades were imbedded. These would have been attached to the skater’s boots with leather straps, a few of which were extant. Some of the straps were exhibiting red rot, a form of deterioration that undermines the stability of the leather, causing embrittlement of the fibres. Several leather straps were so degraded, they had broken into smaller sections causing delamination of the grain (the smooth surface of the leather).</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8TPbC_RlKfCGYT8zg5euf6c2_PxrIhMxA8_xSwE6eHAYEYEcyVE8ErGn3JaLlbpPzTkThTZWrka6rvhQdIRlY2HpjClcJ1pAdd3p_rCFeuukoGTR80oc-nXkPuYCdKEsYKVFYJvP-tUXb3X9BTeJ580hZD4pg_OPmejHd4Cx2rg4NJkHK0TA7bqzp" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8TPbC_RlKfCGYT8zg5euf6c2_PxrIhMxA8_xSwE6eHAYEYEcyVE8ErGn3JaLlbpPzTkThTZWrka6rvhQdIRlY2HpjClcJ1pAdd3p_rCFeuukoGTR80oc-nXkPuYCdKEsYKVFYJvP-tUXb3X9BTeJ580hZD4pg_OPmejHd4Cx2rg4NJkHK0TA7bqzp" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">In several instances, leather straps had buckles and rivets used to keep everything in place. At some point, a previous owner had applied a leather dressing attempting to keep the leather supple. The oils from these applications interacted with the metal components creating a greasy, green crystalline residue called verdigris (you can see in the photo below how the paper support is stained yellow from the migrating oils). As the verdigris continued to accumulate it caused the leather to split and crack at the point of contact. The buildup of verdigris was removed with wooden picks, micro brushes and dental tools. Afterwards, soft bristle brushes were used to sweep the debris into a low suction vacuum.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK-uuzvGMctUuxrXhHeqwUsQxpQfymizDVfheaTtOJ-cP2qpEY_vFAIw1FFaWWEa07tJX-TKyiq0MeYHSsRqU67QV8zoYXy6-3CgthkPV_S4MlQjRyP4rm79pBJ99B8hnBsxxUmv9MPNlND1V_euEWt80NLBpLD-Pwx39pvA3bK2R-K78vTneIDfLE" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="635" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK-uuzvGMctUuxrXhHeqwUsQxpQfymizDVfheaTtOJ-cP2qpEY_vFAIw1FFaWWEa07tJX-TKyiq0MeYHSsRqU67QV8zoYXy6-3CgthkPV_S4MlQjRyP4rm79pBJ99B8hnBsxxUmv9MPNlND1V_euEWt80NLBpLD-Pwx39pvA3bK2R-K78vTneIDfLE" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">Some of the wooden footrests had a buildup of dirt that had accumulated over their approximately 150-year lifetime. This was removed with latex free cosmetic sponges and dry cleaning sponges. The crumbs from this process were removed with a soft bristle brush and a low suction vacuum.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQt11KO2i4Tq4dXcy3KqvAT29VEZgimY_GMW555Ho30fhLvCDOA_3p9uWnX_ueD0I1j0mL6ifnZjJLBR6Fdt0XUBaeXK_FFxno7vzQX_fN_5adD-amgKjZu_trxauY2E2qImkln7e_n3Z2tkZ-LN7V7wgq84cgueQN-3-ZbdmpCFkWodrDmWYh5jrd" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="222" data-original-width="626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQt11KO2i4Tq4dXcy3KqvAT29VEZgimY_GMW555Ho30fhLvCDOA_3p9uWnX_ueD0I1j0mL6ifnZjJLBR6Fdt0XUBaeXK_FFxno7vzQX_fN_5adD-amgKjZu_trxauY2E2qImkln7e_n3Z2tkZ-LN7V7wgq84cgueQN-3-ZbdmpCFkWodrDmWYh5jrd" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">The BSM has shown individual pairs of skates in previous exhibitions but never together on such a specific topic. This project was a great opportunity to have a closer look at our collection of skates and treat them as a group. <i>Boots & Blades: The Story of Canadian Figure Skating</i> is now live and can be viewed <a href="https://www.bootsandblades.ca/">here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Ada Hopkins, BSM Conservator</p>Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-52271666156052232212022-01-23T10:00:00.009-05:002022-01-23T10:00:00.186-05:00Update from the Conservation Lab<p style="text-align:left">The artefact collection of the BSM continues to grow through donations and purchases. For the past ten years we having been struggling with diminishing storage space along with the need to store items made of modern materials in an appropriate environment. The original architectural plan for the museum included the design of a potential third storage room that could be retro fitted when the need arose.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">In 2019 we reorganized all the items stored in the room we call ‘061’. There were paint cans, old display cases, etc. for which new homes were found. In 2020 we hired an outside conservation company to prepare a feasibility study for this new storage room. For the past year we have been using this room to house overflow on adhoc tabletops made from old show case bases as seen in the photos below.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWWCSVtf0tSDTs4AvKpDcHOGmaghfZI0e3eBC5Y4QT7xu-7RftpsYVpnUwAWzv8M446Ql46HacgdUB7tS-EhpnZ3ppWZoK185q9GgPudtWbTvWquQyehCyVMejJVwC-RHn1Waajz_YwoHmBI_c6v_SMTVqPMrMjDqPXus3PMeZNEkOl3m37-5CLHDD" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWWCSVtf0tSDTs4AvKpDcHOGmaghfZI0e3eBC5Y4QT7xu-7RftpsYVpnUwAWzv8M446Ql46HacgdUB7tS-EhpnZ3ppWZoK185q9GgPudtWbTvWquQyehCyVMejJVwC-RHn1Waajz_YwoHmBI_c6v_SMTVqPMrMjDqPXus3PMeZNEkOl3m37-5CLHDD"/></a></div>
<p style="text-align:left">February is the beginning of the first phase of preparing this room for its new purpose. The walls will be painted, additional overhead lighting will be added and we will test the floor to determine what kind of sealant will be used for waterproofing.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">More updates with photos to come as we work through the many stages of this project.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">Ada Hopkins, BSM Conservator</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-23739249790003596732021-12-19T10:00:00.025-05:002021-12-19T10:00:00.185-05:00Student Projects: Part III of III<p style="text-align: left;">This is the last blog in the series which reflects on the amazing skills of interns who chose the BSM lab for their placements. This particular intern was enrolled in the Master of Textile Conservation program at the University of Southampton, located in a port city on the south coast of England. They had worked as a shoe designer for Clarks, a British manufacturer and retailer founded in 1825, before enrolling in the conservation program. This previous experience made them uniquely qualified in understanding the physical structure of shoes, which was definitely an asset for a shoe conservator! In the summer of 2007 they traveled to Toronto for a two-month internship.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">All conservation interns participate in the day-to-day activities of the conservation lab and are given a project to work on throughout their time at the museum. The shoes selected were made in the 1910s by Paris, France based company, Nicklich. These shoes were originally purchased by the BSM in 1986 from an Italian historic clothing dealer, as part of a collection of 22 pairs of shoes. Most were in good condition, however 3 pairs needed conservation, and this pair was in the worst condition.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The project required a strategic approach, first addressing the most fragile elements, then adding the final touches that would stabilize the shoes. The silk fibres of the satin upper had significant loss and the remaining strands were tangled; the topline ribbon binding was either missing or hanging loosely and the leather lining was distorted. The decorative buckle needed support as its weight, exacerbated by gravity, was creating stress on both vamps.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLJdgkiFmUL0MpNhNdxU3Q2XM1x670pSOfpAlnT7go8vUlqqs9sK1VQsFy1Vd2xFMO-0Vk5p69dG0agui9fsqVxqSqXE8OagqbjJ_8vt2drizbO1085LBzm4Q49NsxH9nYO9dYxBMahj-rhCgBNQb4Knx1_xO2ieOCf80Q64q7Wjgy4pzHcKGfl7mg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="431" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLJdgkiFmUL0MpNhNdxU3Q2XM1x670pSOfpAlnT7go8vUlqqs9sK1VQsFy1Vd2xFMO-0Vk5p69dG0agui9fsqVxqSqXE8OagqbjJ_8vt2drizbO1085LBzm4Q49NsxH9nYO9dYxBMahj-rhCgBNQb4Knx1_xO2ieOCf80Q64q7Wjgy4pzHcKGfl7mg" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">The first step was to remove accumulated surface dirt and dust with a low suction vacuum through a screen to prevent the fabric from being pulled into the nozzle. Particulate matter causes damage over time as these small particles become imbedded between the fibres of the fabric creating mechanical damage. Next, the leather lining and the satin fibres were passively humidified back into their original shape and alignment.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgz4eCF8dsTecSEkUNLCbLDT1loELVdNJeibwb14rODG-tlNADjcTyyHeCzXmkUXK13sB7wgbooSkGZSHxQTaje8kbyyhM8YMqNjmKSO6tmBDx617R4h_DKbVXpEvrLnxJ7K9S67paUxuQKjHzowkfdkZ4QjOhBBa9GIPQsUDOftbnjAZRuInByDFy8" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="910" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgz4eCF8dsTecSEkUNLCbLDT1loELVdNJeibwb14rODG-tlNADjcTyyHeCzXmkUXK13sB7wgbooSkGZSHxQTaje8kbyyhM8YMqNjmKSO6tmBDx617R4h_DKbVXpEvrLnxJ7K9S67paUxuQKjHzowkfdkZ4QjOhBBa9GIPQsUDOftbnjAZRuInByDFy8" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">The picture on the left shows the satin upper/leather lining being humidified and reshaped. Passive humidification was accomplished using Gortex, dampened blotting paper and Mylar. The beige mat board sections were burnished to the shape of the distorted areas and held in place with rare earth magnets. The picture on the right shows how the twisted and tangled satin fibres were separated, gently humidified, then realigned. As work continued, these strands were held in place with entomology pins stuck into padded foam blocks.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The satin upper sections requiring support for the loose fibres were mapped with Mylar to create the templates for the plain weave silk fills. These fills were inserted between the upper and the lining then the loose fibres were couch stitched with dyed hair silk to the support. Silk crepeline ribbon was dyed to match the peacock blue of the original ribbon. This was used to encase the extant topline binding and was also stitched with the hair silk using an extremely fine beading needle through the existing stitch holes in the leather lining.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHONJtIe6gYkb1aVFDMVrIi0q_HvRFiLz-vpS4ED6-fIz8Z9zxEVmpHh1YueziYA8zdB01gvtKyoYqAjlmW_aE4GUyKRX0VYrJMUXpHyKWi-RijGzvUG8ImRrkI30x3yfXUUafGGv3U_s7AS3ceHd73DCOxeg_hCKampMtrHBWhe5uvnbfjjlokc8G" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHONJtIe6gYkb1aVFDMVrIi0q_HvRFiLz-vpS4ED6-fIz8Z9zxEVmpHh1YueziYA8zdB01gvtKyoYqAjlmW_aE4GUyKRX0VYrJMUXpHyKWi-RijGzvUG8ImRrkI30x3yfXUUafGGv3U_s7AS3ceHd73DCOxeg_hCKampMtrHBWhe5uvnbfjjlokc8G" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">In the picture above you can see the stitching on the side of the shoe that holds the once loose satin fibres to the support fill underneath. The crepeline ribbon has been attached to the side of the topline closest to the viewer; the ribbon at the back of the photograph has yet to be stitched in place.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">This was a time consuming but rewarding project. Before conservation, it was not possible to display these shoes. Now they are ready to be shown in future exhibitions.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZMNqEWNryR5pRdOqoZvq9s37eCCBWHhV1RQwJAE-pVOonGri31PmF4ai4zK4GLi8OHUctBZRZ0LIofsTGxDXstmbC9xahpv8_NyuFk8HGrvfIUkZLzHTbT1tvM5Sfu1dbxAGJ3udv_BgnjvluPd1A7mgH5Kw6OGxiBM1uum-Z-pglra3znyga1eAG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZMNqEWNryR5pRdOqoZvq9s37eCCBWHhV1RQwJAE-pVOonGri31PmF4ai4zK4GLi8OHUctBZRZ0LIofsTGxDXstmbC9xahpv8_NyuFk8HGrvfIUkZLzHTbT1tvM5Sfu1dbxAGJ3udv_BgnjvluPd1A7mgH5Kw6OGxiBM1uum-Z-pglra3znyga1eAG" style="display: inline !important; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZMNqEWNryR5pRdOqoZvq9s37eCCBWHhV1RQwJAE-pVOonGri31PmF4ai4zK4GLi8OHUctBZRZ0LIofsTGxDXstmbC9xahpv8_NyuFk8HGrvfIUkZLzHTbT1tvM5Sfu1dbxAGJ3udv_BgnjvluPd1A7mgH5Kw6OGxiBM1uum-Z-pglra3znyga1eAG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: black;">Ada Hopkins, Conservator</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZMNqEWNryR5pRdOqoZvq9s37eCCBWHhV1RQwJAE-pVOonGri31PmF4ai4zK4GLi8OHUctBZRZ0LIofsTGxDXstmbC9xahpv8_NyuFk8HGrvfIUkZLzHTbT1tvM5Sfu1dbxAGJ3udv_BgnjvluPd1A7mgH5Kw6OGxiBM1uum-Z-pglra3znyga1eAG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></a></div>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-16012959931574686682021-12-05T10:00:00.010-05:002021-12-08T12:50:17.695-05:00Boots & Blades: 19th century brand marks and models<p style="text-align: left;">The launch of our next virtual exhibition, <i>Boots & Blades: The Story of Canadian Figure Skating,</i> is coming up in the New Year, so the research into skates continues. In this blog, I’ll take a look at a few of the interesting makes and models of blades that we have been learning about.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">One of the earliest skates with manufacturer’s marks in the collection are the three pairs shown in this blog post.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The English Club skates with blades rounded up to the foot bed in the front and in the back, are marked “Moulson Brothers Union Works Sheffield”. Knowing the name of the manufacturer allowed us to find out about the company and the dates it was in operation. It was founded in the early 1830s by five brothers and was reportedly bankrupt by 1875. Family descendants formed Moulson Bros & Co. at some point in the 1870s. For this pair of skates, knowing the date range of the company also helped us estimate a date of production for the skates.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMj4HRXmK3Jc9DgA-twR-aaXP9VktIKTA-8MjENtl7RC0oq0hKk1yRimOwyQd75y58eBl1cKGFvrKVwIPTFf40CEfw7WG4gUuRA9bY8b3JHuimH7qc4Jd4WL9AiCyG1rAJ07J8-CtizM/s0/1ab-boots-and-blades.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="2014" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMj4HRXmK3Jc9DgA-twR-aaXP9VktIKTA-8MjENtl7RC0oq0hKk1yRimOwyQd75y58eBl1cKGFvrKVwIPTFf40CEfw7WG4gUuRA9bY8b3JHuimH7qc4Jd4WL9AiCyG1rAJ07J8-CtizM/s0/1ab-boots-and-blades.png" /></a></div>
Skates manufactured by the Moulson Brothers in Sheffield, England. Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum. Image © 2021 Bata Shoe Museum.
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<p style="text-align: left;">A similar pair of strap-on skates are the Club skates marked “H. Boker”. The blade silhouette on this pair shows a more developed design in the heel profile. We estimate this pair to have been made between the years 1837 and 1870. The company, H. Boker and Co., was founded in 1837 by Hermann Boker in New York City, which was a hardware manufacturing firm affiliated with his brother Heinrich who had his own company in Germany, called H. R. Boker. As an aside, it is interesting to note that the youngest Boker brother founded a branch of the company in Canada at about the same time. The Boker companies specialized in the manufacture of sabers, knives, tools and cutlery, a specialization in to which skate blades fits quite well. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The brand mark of the company is known as the ‘tree’ logo, which was introduced in 1870. As the ‘tree’ mark is not on the blades we have in the collection, we know they were manufactured prior to 1870. The research has aided us in narrowing down the possible date of manufacture to be between 1837 and 1870.</p>
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Skates manufactured by H. Boker of New York. Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum. Image © 2021 Bata Shoe Museum.
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<p style="text-align: left;">The final pair of club skates have a metal pressure clamp system instead of the leather strap and buckle attachment that most of the skates up to this date have. The leather strap system was hard to tighten and so the skater’s boots and the attached blades were often not moving in unison. That made it hard to skate. The metal pressure clamp system on this pair are likely an innovation that sought to solve the problem. Manufactured by “Hill, Late Coleman” at “4 Haymarket London”, we can verify that these are English in origin and the history of the company shows it existed from about 1855 until the early 20th century. They were knife and blade makers, who also sold outdoor equipment at that address, including compasses, barb wire nippers and folding axes. The company was run by the original owner without his son from 1855 to 1870, and at that point the company name changed to ‘Hill & Son’.</p>
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Skates manufactured by ‘Hill, Late Coleman’ at ‘4 Haymarket London’. Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum. Image © 2021 Bata Shoe Museum.<br />
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<p style="text-align: left;">This history informs us that this pair of skates were manufactured between 1855 and 1870.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Suzanne Petersen, Collections Manager</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-68865018194173857452021-11-28T10:00:00.062-05:002021-12-07T10:07:05.392-05:00Q&A with Henry VanderSpek<b>This month's Community Spotlight features a Q+A with Henry VanderSpek, documentary photographer and curator of <i>Old World Shoes, </i>a fascinating exhibition exploring independent shoe and shoe repair shops in Toronto. On display at the Daniels Spectrum in Regent Park December 2, 2021 to January 3, 2022.</b>
<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Can you tell us about your exhibition, <i>Old World Shoes</i>?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><i>Old World Shoes</i> is an exhibit celebrating older shoe and shoe repair stores of Toronto. It features portraits of store owners alongside interview excerpts where they share their insights and experiences gained from decades of serving their clientele and local community. I began working on this project in December 2017 and am excited that now, four years later, I am finally able to show my work.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><b>How did you come up with the idea? Do you have any personal connection to the shoe industry or shoe stores specifically?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">After my last documentary exhibit, <i>Taxi Drivers of Toronto</i> (2017 Contact Photo Festival), I found myself considering the rapid pace of change in Toronto and how small local businesses that have served a community for decades often disappear when redevelopment occurs, with little fanfare or recognition of all that they brought to our city.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I have no personal connection to the shoe industry, or any shoe stores. I have long admired the unique character and atmosphere in small local shoe and shoe repair shops though. There is so much for the eyes to take in, the product offerings are refreshingly different and the personal service is a nice change from most corporate chain stores.</p>
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Pictured is Antonietta Di Santo from Capri Shoes, a shoe repair and footwear company specializing in handcrafting shoes, boots and custom character footwear products for the entertainment industry.<br />
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<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Was it challenging to find people to interview for your exhibition? How did you go about your research?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I have a nice stack of business cards as a testament to how many store owners I approached for this project! I've learned while doing documentary work that I need to have a clear pitch as to what I am doing and why, when approaching possible participants, so that people can understand my vision and intent. Some store owners were immediately interested and others I had to return to a few times, out of respect for their busy work schedule, before they came on board. I found a few of the stores in my exhibit by using a search engine, but I found most of them by exploring Toronto's many great neighbourhoods and through tips that other store owners gave me when I interviewed them.</p>
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Pictured is Ellen Vivacqua, owner of La Parigina Shoes, a family run business that has been serving the Corso Italia neighbourhood since 1970.
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<p style="text-align: left;"><b>What was one of the most surprising things you learned throughout this process?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I was surprised by how much there is to discover about the shoe industry in Toronto. The more people I interviewed, the more I learned about the rich heritage of shoemaking and manufacturing here. Most of my interviews with store owners were complete when the pandemic struck, so I had time to continue exploring more broadly, mostly via video conferencing methods. Historian and author <a href="https://history.acadiau.ca/Karolyn_Smardz_Frost.html">Karolyn Smardz Frost</a> helped me to discover <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/history-art-culture/black-history-month/the-black-community-in-st-johns-ward/">Francis Griffin Simpson</a>, a black shoemaker and engaged citizen in Toronto politics. A conversation with Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director and Senior Curator of the Bata Shoe Museum, gave me a much wider view of the Toronto context that I had been actively exploring. Alexandra Avdichuk, Supervisor of the City of Toronto's Collections and Conservation, allowed me to see first hand some of the wonderful shoe-related artefacts that the city has preserved from past generations. I have not been able to incorporate all of what I've learned into this current exhibit, but I hope in time, I can bring more of it to the forefront.</p>
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Pictured is Peter Feeney, owner of <a href="https://www.peterfeeney.ca/">Peter Feeney Bespoke Shoes</a>, a Toronto custom handmade shoe company located in The Junction.
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<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Why did you decide to curate this exhibition? What would you like your visitors to take away from it?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">My conviction that we need to celebrate and support small local businesses, like the shoe and shoe repair stores I feature in my current exhibit, has only grown during the pandemic period we've all been living through. I believe people are even more aware now of the challenges that they face. I hope though, that people will walk away from my exhibit with an even deeper sense of the value that small business people bring to a community. I also hope people realize that investing in well-made shoes is worth it as they can have a much longer life, which benefits your wallet and the environment.</p>
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Pictured is Lorena Agolli, owner of <a href="https://solesurvivorshop.com/">Sole Survivor</a>, a shoe and boot repair shop in Parkdale.
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<p style="text-align: left;"><b>When and where can visitors see Old World Shoes?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><i>Old World Shoes</i> is on exhibit from December 2, 2021 to January 3, 2022 at Daniels Spectrum in Regent Park, 585 Dundas Street East, here in Toronto. Click <a href="https://www.culturesnap.ca/oldworldshoes" target="_blank">here</a> for more details about the exhibit.</p>
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Pictured is George Aslanidis, owner of Yiorgos the Cobbler, a shop repair shop located in by Dundas St W. / Roncesvalles.
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<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Do you have any other projects in the works that you’d like to share?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I always have a number of projects on the go. Nothing is confirmed for the coming year just yet, but I do have plans and aspirations! Please stay tuned via <a href="https://www.culturesnap.ca/">my website</a> or social media accounts for updates on my next new ventures. Here's my social media: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/culturesnap">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/culture_snap">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CultureSnapPhotography">Facebook</a></p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-35910215658630600482021-11-21T10:00:00.006-05:002021-11-21T10:00:00.179-05:00Student Projects: Part II of III<p style="text-align: left;">This blog continues to explore projects undertaken by interns at the BSM conservation lab. In 1982, the museum acquired one of several outfits, with matching shoes, made for Lana Turner when she starred in the 1955 MGM movie <i>The Prodigal</i>. The costume was composed of a heavily beaded silk bodice with silk pant-skirt attached. The bodice lining was torn and beads had either fallen off or were loosely dangling; the silk of the skirt was disintegrating; the shoes were worn but in stable condition. Because of the outfit’s poor condition, all the loose beads were collected from the shipping box, the outfit was padded with unbuffered acid free tissue and stored in an archival box until treatment could be performed.</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">In 2001, a conservation intern researched treatment options and wrote a detailed report with their recommendations but, unfortunately, there was not enough time in their placement to undertake the project. In the summer of 2005, a conservation student at New York University came to Toronto to work at the BSM as part of the practical component of their program. They reviewed the previous recommendations, sourced the materials, prepared a work plan and submitted a budget.
The double layered silk chiffon skirt was conserved first as it was the most fragile element of the outfit. The creased and distorted hip coverings were humidified to bring the fabric back to its original shape. Silk crepeline, an extremely fine fabric similar to chiffon, was dyed with Earl Grey tea to achieve a good colour match; hair silk thread for sewing was dyed at the same time. The crepeline was then coated with an adhesive which was allowed to dry. A template of the skirt was used to cut the crepeline to size, then it was interleaved between the two existing layers. After positioning, the adhesive was solvent vapour activated. The areas of chiffon loss were filled with the dyed crepeline (without adhesive) and hand stitched in place with the hair silk.</p>
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Left: Positioning fragments of silk chiffon skirt over the adhesive impregnated backing fabric. Right: The slow process of rebuilding the hip coverings.
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<p style="text-align: left;">The bodice was lined with a similarly dyed thin plain weave silk, held in place with entomology pins, then stitched to the original silk with a small curved needle. Once the fabric components had been stabilized the beads were attached with the hair silk. The new lining provided much needed support for the very heavy beads. Loose beads were placed in areas of prominent loss. After treatment was completed, a support was carved from Ethafoam, lightly padded and covered with a cotton stretch knit fabric. This mount could also be used if the garment were to go on display in an exhibition.</p>
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Left: Securing the Chinese silk to the back of the bodice; note the curved needle used for stitching the support to the original. Right: New lining completed.
From start to finish the entire project took two months. The end result is a significant and much needed stabilization, making it easier to understand what the garment was meant to look like when worn and preserving it for future examination and display.
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Before and after photos. You can see where loose beads have been added to the bustier.
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-79619235281295662292021-11-14T10:00:00.002-05:002021-11-14T10:00:00.185-05:00Boot & Blades: Blade Technology<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2fjYw-b0RF2CABQzN0M146w1UMptOGWItYdYA7K5kEfMe1CoIls12ohuOKocyOcfKp90EFqYoCNPnB6TQbCtQzTFw5e5VW_obdpgaPYCiAG1fc-d7HH4LJaIN5EvZW_Q23U5QAJEKhY/s864/01+S80-1710+IMG_9689.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="864" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2fjYw-b0RF2CABQzN0M146w1UMptOGWItYdYA7K5kEfMe1CoIls12ohuOKocyOcfKp90EFqYoCNPnB6TQbCtQzTFw5e5VW_obdpgaPYCiAG1fc-d7HH4LJaIN5EvZW_Q23U5QAJEKhY/s600/01+S80-1710+IMG_9689.jpg"/></a></div>
<center>This is a pair of ‘gliders’. Note the flat metal gliding surface and the thickness of the blade. The blade is also mounted close to the foot and this ‘foot stack’ is made of a thick piece of wood. Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum. Image © 2021 Bata Shoe Museum.</center>
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<p style="text-align:left">As we continue to do research on the skate collection at the Bata Shoe Museum in preparation for the upcoming online exhibition <i>Boots & Blades: The Story of Canadian Figure Skating</i>, we are looking at the blades specifically right now. As the blades are what touch the ice, they are a major component in the art of figure skating, allowing the skater to glide and move in the desired ways.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">The skate artefacts in the collection have blades of so many variations. The length varies, as does the curve of the gliding surface an the way the blade is secured to the foot. There are materials of many types: a variety of types of wood and metal. The blades themselves are made of metal generally.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">One of the blade features that we are looking at is the cutting surface – the bottom of the blade where the blade connects with the ice surface. Not much is written about this aspect, but it is a vital feature that can allow gliding if the blade is flat, speed if the blade is honed to a slight arc, and precision if the blade is honed to a deeper arc. The deeper arc creates the two edges that figure skating is done on. The two edges are: the inside and the outside edges. Without these two edges, the skater has no purchase, no control, on the ice surface. Skates without edges are called ‘gliders’; literally, these skates allow you to glide on the ice and were most often used with poles, much like ski poles, to help stabilize the skater.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguB2BzJPkPJG3NXwdwukBYa7NBKSM-fhd5JZ7HynqqjEf9Lpb5KVxZu169hQktK1tOd9Vifm6PNJXIeyDGL7pDNBXOujl-QwRzp5DLtiofemojm6Kec2CKSj-2oe7RFHCPFTiDWb7n2qY/s1024/02+S80-1697+IMG_9738.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguB2BzJPkPJG3NXwdwukBYa7NBKSM-fhd5JZ7HynqqjEf9Lpb5KVxZu169hQktK1tOd9Vifm6PNJXIeyDGL7pDNBXOujl-QwRzp5DLtiofemojm6Kec2CKSj-2oe7RFHCPFTiDWb7n2qY/s600/02+S80-1697+IMG_9738.jpg"/></a></div>
<center>This pair of ‘gliders’ shows more development with the curled prow or curl at the elongated toe of the blade. Note also that blade surface is completely flat. There are no edges sharpened into these blades. Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum. Image © 2021 Bata Shoe Museum.</center>
<p style="text-align:left">The introduction of edges came later, but exactly when, and in which regions it came to first, is difficult to determine. Not much is written about this technical aspect of skate blades. The development of sharpening the edges into the blade surface began in the 19th century, but little else is know. The proof that we see in the artefacts in the collection is the proof of how skating developed.</p>
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<center>These three photographs are all the same pair of skates. They are an early pair of handmade skates, likely from the middle of the 19th century. Note the blade has a curled prow and that the blade stops under the wearer‘s foot. The shot of the bottom of the skate reveals the two edges that have been honed into the blade surface. Collection of the Bata Shoe Museum. Image © 2021 Bata Shoe Museum.</center>
<p style="text-align:left">The edges create resistance, and in doing that they slow the speed of the skater, but they allow the skater to ‘cut’ into the ice instead of slipping. Shallow edges allow the skater stability, speed and smooth motions. Speed skates, for example, have shallow edges. Deeper edges allow for precise moves including making tracings of curves and circles in the ice. Deeper edges are what figures skaters need.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">Suzanne Petersen, Collections Manager</p>
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<center>A beautiful pair of skates with heart-shapes punched out of the blades, you can clearly see the ‘u’ shaped edges honed into the bottom surface of the blade in the second photo. Image © 2021 Bata Shoe Museum.</center>
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<center>Skates for children, this pair dates to the early part of the 20th century. The metal used for the blade here can hold a more accurate sharpening of edges on the bottom of the blade, as seen in the second photograph. Image © 2021 Bata Shoe Museum.</center>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-63833815297743168302021-11-09T10:00:00.002-05:002021-11-09T12:04:42.279-05:00Ask a Conservator Day 2021<p style="text-align:left">Did you miss Ask a Conservator Day this year? Ask a Conservator Day is in remembrance of the flooding of Florence on November 4th, 1966, which damaged priceless cultural heritage. The social media campaign inspires conservators around the world to engage with each other to exchange knowledge and celebrate the growth of the field. Check out the answers to the questions you asked our conservator Ada below!</p>
<p style="text-align:left"><b>How do you think your role as a conservator will change as new innovations and technologies develop? (i.e. AR AND VR technology)</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left">I haven’t had a chance to use either technology in artefact treatment at the BSM. However, I was watching a webinar presented by a UK conservator who used 3D printing to replace cleats that had totally disintegrated on a pair of football shoes. Textile conservators use digital printing on fabric to fill in large losses on historic clothing.</p>
<p style="text-align:left"><b>What does a conservator do? What projects are you working on?</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left">I take care of the entire collection which includes many tasks. One major responsibility is how, where and under what conditions artefacts are stored. Preparing them for in-house exhibitions or for loans to other institutions. Monitoring the actual condition of the footwear with photographs and reports. Currently I’m getting a group of notable people’s shoes (2 of them are pictured below) ready for a loan to an exhibition at the Dutch Leather and Shoe Museum, Waalwijk, Netherlands. </p>
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<center>Rihanna x Puma Fenty Creepers</center>
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<center>Ginger Spice’s Buffalo platforms</center>
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<p style="text-align:left"><b>How do you store your artefacts? Is temperature/humidity an issue?</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left">We have several storage rooms which are climate controlled. The temperature and humidity are different in each room depending on the materials stored therein. The footwear sits on padded shelving, divided geographically, in chronological order, accompanied by their information cards. All the footwear is internally supported with archival material to help them hold their shapes. Special containers are made for items that require extra assistance. There are also cabinets with drawers housing 18th century shoe buckles, lithographs, shoemaker’s tools, guild certificates, fashion plates, etc.</p>
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<center>The Chinese children’s boots are in special containers as they are not self-supporting. </center>
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<center>The buckles are on carrying trays that prevent them from colliding into each other when the storage drawer is opened.</center>
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<p style="text-align:left"><b>Does the BSM offer conservation internships/co-op opportunities?</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left">In the past, the museum has hosted interns as part of their conservation curriculum. Currently, with COVID social distancing, the lab does not have the space to accommodate 2 people. Hopefully, next year this will change. Here’s a before/after of a previous intern’s project which is described in greater detail in a conservation blog post that dropped on October 24th.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left"><b>You've mentioned in the past about the difficulties of preserving plastics, is there anything you're able to do as a conservator to slow down the deterioration process?</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left">We are exploring this very issue! 20th century footwear and even more so, 21st century shoes have many plastic components which are challenging the traditional way museums house their collections. We are considering retro fitting an available room with a dedicated HVAC unit that will deliver cooler air and lower humidity levels.</p>
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<center>The polyurethane (PU) top piece on the bottom of this mid 1970s heel is deteriorating and the plasticizer is mobilizing up into the leather; the PU coating on these Stella McCartney, Fall 2015, shoes is beginning to fog even though they are only 6 years old!</center>
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<p style="text-align:left"><b>Is it better to keep my footwear in shoeboxes? How does light affect them?</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left">Keeping your footwear in the original box is a good idea. That way you can protect them from getting jumbled up at the bottom of your closet. You can also pile the boxes on top of each other but not so high that they collapse under their weight. If you have lots of shoes, take a photo and attach it to the exterior so you know what’s inside. Let your shoes air out overnight after each wear, then put tissue paper or even socks inside to help them hold their shape. Absolutely, light damage is cumulative, so if you have a pair of shoes you love and want to display make sure they are not in a sunny window! See the side effects below.</p>
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<center>Pair of Moroccan babouche that were originally green (ca. 1900); child’s very faded pink silk shoes (1830-45).</center>
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<p style="text-align:left"><b>I recently purchased a pair of Victorian kid leather upper and regular leather base bottom portion boots. I noticed following handling them my hands were black which leads me to believe perhaps a prior owner used black shoe polish on them. What would you recommend? Try to remove polish or use something to buff out?</b></p>
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<p style="text-align:left">Without actually seeing them in person it’s hard to know what to say. It could be that the previous owner applied an overabundance of black polish or the surface of the leather could be powdering. You could try gently wiping the surface of the leather with a very soft, clean micro fibre cloth in an obscure test area on one of the boots (maybe the tongue or the heel).</p>
<p style="text-align:left"><b>I bought this pair of satin slippers and I think they are 1850s? Made in Paris. What is best way to keep them in shape? Stuff loosely with acid free tissue? Small padded shoe inserts? They are always kept in my glass curio display out of sunlight and rarely handled.</b></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYGud984O55ki28pVk0Nh4v_YiSCHEkYMGkGJfuQZd3WUNl6Nb3wgVAbQhvyoEEINRm-p2bpcKwIpi0cMs3ti4wM1sc3z5i4vtLu0jxV-c-Bn4aX-ct8TjXY1oCeyes7yyKiNQHNbjQc/s2642/Ask+a+Conservator_Satin+Slippers-1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="2642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYGud984O55ki28pVk0Nh4v_YiSCHEkYMGkGJfuQZd3WUNl6Nb3wgVAbQhvyoEEINRm-p2bpcKwIpi0cMs3ti4wM1sc3z5i4vtLu0jxV-c-Bn4aX-ct8TjXY1oCeyes7yyKiNQHNbjQc/s600/Ask+a+Conservator_Satin+Slippers-1.jpg"/></a></div>
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<p style="text-align:left">It’s great that you have them in a dust free cabinet. You could make your own padded inserts with a soft cotton knit (washed) and polyester batting. Be sure not to over stuff as it will distort their shape and in areas of stress, it will tear the satin. Acid free tissue paper is definitely another option. Manufactured shoe inserts can also cause damage; this is definitely not a case of one size fits all!</p>
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<center>The leather and canvas upper (Czech Republic 1895) has shrunk around the wooden last which is now impossible to extricate even if the shoe were unlaced. The stress has caused the tear in the canvas along its topline.</center>
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<p style="text-align:left"><b>How old is your oldest pair of shoes? Are you ever nervous about handling objects from thousands of years ago?</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left">A conservator needs to study the object in question, taking into consideration the condition of the materials and the stability of all the component elements before picking it up. For instance, the oldest pair of shoes in the collection, the sandals pictured below, have pegs through which a thong would have passed. All those pegs sitting in the holes are not permanently affixed and if not picked up with that taken into consideration, would fall out, possibly splintering if they fell on the floor.</p>
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<center>These are both from Egypt: the pair on the left is approximately 4500 years old, the pair on the right approximately 3500 years old.</center>
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<p style="text-align:left"><b>How did you get into conservation? I struggle finding specific resources on how to get into the field.</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left">I grew up with an interest in archaeology, art and art history, so conservation was a natural fit for me. This <a href="https://www.cac-accr.ca/conservation/">link</a> will take you to a site that has a list of school programs available in Canada. Many countries have conservation programs if you wish to travel abroad.</p>
<p style="text-align:left"><b>Not shoes, but clothing related! I have inherited my great-Grandmother's Japanese silk robe (not sure if it's an actual Kimono but it is real silk), purchased on her year long honeymoon tour in the early 1920's. It needs cleaning, but how? And I would like to display it, but again how without damaging or staining the fibers. Any advice would be so very welcome!</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left">There are many options: T-stands, padded dowels, large shadowboxes, 2-sided display cases, there are even specially designed kimono stands. As this is a precious 100-year old family heirloom, I recommend you consult a textile conservator to help you through this process, especially if you want it cleaned first.
</p>Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-16829971378894397672021-10-24T10:00:00.013-04:002021-10-24T10:00:00.205-04:00Student Projects: Part I of III<p style="text-align:left">Due to COVID physical distancing we are unable to host conservation interns at this time. I thought I would continue looking into the way-back machine to share the work of previous interns. Most conservation programs require students to fulfill a placement with an established conservator mentor as part of their curriculum.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">In 2006, a student attending the conservation program at Fleming College, Peterborough, Ontario, spent three months working on a variety of objects. One of the projects was to be used as a final research paper. The shoes selected for this purpose were purchased in 1984 from an antiques clothing dealer based in Switzerland. The condition of these silk satin shoes, on their arrival, was poor but the fact that they had the remains of a 1790 British maker’s label made them special. Plus, the fabulous yellow colour would be a unique additional to the BSM collection.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">The float yarns, in the high stress areas, had disintegrated leaving the weft fibres hanging loose and the leather lining exposed. When weaving satin, the weft fibres run horizontally over three or four vertical warp fibres creating a smooth, shiny, reflective surface.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">As you can see from the four photographs above, the parts of a shoe that experience the greatest wear are on the sides of the vamps, the ends of the toes and the heels. There is also considerable damage to the quarter, or side panel, of one of the shoes.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">The first part of the project was to research how the shoes were made and the materials used. Next the intern reviewed past textile treatments to consider their options and consulted with the museum’s curator and the conservation mentor to determine the best course of action. Once this part of the process was finalized, adhesives were tested and suitable fabric replacements were dyed.
Templates were made by securing polyethylene film over the area of loss with rare earth magnets, then tracing onto the film the perimeter of the loss. Fills were cut slightly larger than the loss to extend under the extant fabric and slipped between the satin upper and the leather lining. After adjustments, the fill was held in place with temporary stitches to prevent movement while work progressed. The loose weft yarns were passively humidified to align, then couch stitched to the new satin. In areas of significant loss, the striped pattern was mimicked on the fill with pencil crayons before stitching began.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">The final steps were humidifying the creases in the vamps, reshaping the distorted counters (the heel area) and straightening the crumpled ruching (the pleated ribbon decoration) around the tops of the vamps. The end result is quite dramatic and far more photogenic!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUb54pqUNqsCUSknja7Jp7k6l2LpuOwm0p-Tk_uhLwsc9NtXar8HycgBmuM34L3bKa2h_lwEzUlK7DTeaw_668Y0Y58dMSumPqFP9lgnYU_obKHHLhqK8kEc3Hg-ZMAnmXpFTPfdyPMo/s0/Conservation-Intern-Blog-5.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="515" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUb54pqUNqsCUSknja7Jp7k6l2LpuOwm0p-Tk_uhLwsc9NtXar8HycgBmuM34L3bKa2h_lwEzUlK7DTeaw_668Y0Y58dMSumPqFP9lgnYU_obKHHLhqK8kEc3Hg-ZMAnmXpFTPfdyPMo/s0/Conservation-Intern-Blog-5.png"/></a></div>Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-71138456355909933592021-10-03T10:00:00.005-04:002021-10-03T10:00:00.269-04:00Documentation Photography, Part 1: The Image Capture Process <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrExKVDDdlZQ1kSf8Lv4LClHYZbWhSvb-MeVXEC_lijsXNZoMm4iaFgbFSSFOf0I9TMNahiWuVKGSdoJAmAL27HULLg6iDBh55P_AhyQIQRtGpOu5wxUyc7TYQ1H28ymB4FRw5aGlbhkA/s0/0_P85-0050-AB0-group.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="3600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrExKVDDdlZQ1kSf8Lv4LClHYZbWhSvb-MeVXEC_lijsXNZoMm4iaFgbFSSFOf0I9TMNahiWuVKGSdoJAmAL27HULLg6iDBh55P_AhyQIQRtGpOu5wxUyc7TYQ1H28ymB4FRw5aGlbhkA/s0/0_P85-0050-AB0-group.png"/></a></div>
<p style="text-align:left">In my last blog installment, I announced the start of the 2021 Digital Photography Project that is run with the assistance of the Government of Canada’s Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations employment program. Since that blog was posted, we have been busy capturing images of artefacts in the collection. In this blog and upcoming blogs, I will go over some of the details involved in taking the actual picture, processing the image files and getting the images saved to the right place.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobKub7-8mGm8OgMfrka28gLuPBzyfPAnpxkzututZ4aINXatDsvO5-lldqLaaWESi_egKyNnR6BR0saJ9VtScbMqLrR3rzMjIXdr0nd6ZCG9GxaVGt-FCGJsMne89fwUmQJM1hmFVfJA/s2048/1_IMG_0806.JPEG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="600" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobKub7-8mGm8OgMfrka28gLuPBzyfPAnpxkzututZ4aINXatDsvO5-lldqLaaWESi_egKyNnR6BR0saJ9VtScbMqLrR3rzMjIXdr0nd6ZCG9GxaVGt-FCGJsMne89fwUmQJM1hmFVfJA/s600/1_IMG_0806.JPEG"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheyV2mdiF5WYuc5mhIxmV4xscQLt54NrNSPxOVm43kVvMIReeDIjViYxno_P7NsFquPWTOtHMKjtI4LaArgBMa6Y-Uso-jKBC4XWuZyjCSoAttQWhqKVOc7EnnRDmEqatB6AuX8ghJPq0/s2048/2_IMG_0804.JPEG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="600" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheyV2mdiF5WYuc5mhIxmV4xscQLt54NrNSPxOVm43kVvMIReeDIjViYxno_P7NsFquPWTOtHMKjtI4LaArgBMa6Y-Uso-jKBC4XWuZyjCSoAttQWhqKVOc7EnnRDmEqatB6AuX8ghJPq0/s600/2_IMG_0804.JPEG"/></a></div>
<p style="text-align:left">The preparation to photograph starts with selecting the artefacts in the storage area. Having been trained in the principles of safe artefact handling, the project team’s artefact handler Catharine Solomon gathers a trolley. She has selected objects that are going into the new exhibition <i><a href="https://batashoemuseum.ca/dolls">All Dolled Up: Fashioning Cultural Expectations</a></i>. A few of the items in that exhibition haven’t yet been photographed, and this needs to be done before they are installed as we will need documentation photos for reference while the exhibition is up. So Catharine pulls the catalogue datasheets for the objects flagged for photography (note the orange tags), and collects the artefacts from the storage area, placing them on the trolley. The photography room is just down the hall, and there she has a workspace set up with space to prepare the artefacts. Preparing the artefact most often requires the removal of storage mounts.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZXDJGrYfWpDOKY50gYL3zAuyIUFUyL2PR0ZnfTfglagVnB-u9J33AthyphenhyphenOIBebVrTt_8N15M9CWDcJmSHx1RtY0sDETJXQZEokiS6ps8lIxi5KjIP-LkfOCJshkDOcpkv9Q-WpwAuCic/s2048/3_IMG_0798.JPEG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZXDJGrYfWpDOKY50gYL3zAuyIUFUyL2PR0ZnfTfglagVnB-u9J33AthyphenhyphenOIBebVrTt_8N15M9CWDcJmSHx1RtY0sDETJXQZEokiS6ps8lIxi5KjIP-LkfOCJshkDOcpkv9Q-WpwAuCic/s600/3_IMG_0798.JPEG"/></a></div>
<p style="text-align:left">With the artefact prepared for photography, she places it on the shooting surface, centering it because the shooting surface and seamless backdrop are quite narrow at only 6 feet wide. Now the image capture begins! </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVmFvVYZDI6aDCKb3QucxcXKzk6rT1Tl50nuqvYHr3P_4BVimkkLvtvBNRmm3yE5wbI3AsQD86jMTCvI3qq4kblPgeQDOe5JuoAdgzjhNwIPcRL8jsRBB3RrdlB6tyoD9yyIo4iI5ozU/s2048/4_IMG_0785.JPEG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="600" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVmFvVYZDI6aDCKb3QucxcXKzk6rT1Tl50nuqvYHr3P_4BVimkkLvtvBNRmm3yE5wbI3AsQD86jMTCvI3qq4kblPgeQDOe5JuoAdgzjhNwIPcRL8jsRBB3RrdlB6tyoD9yyIo4iI5ozU/s600/4_IMG_0785.JPEG"/></a></div>
<p style="text-align:left">Using a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera -- a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV – we capture the images in RAW format, saving each shot to the memory card and to the computer workstation, to which the camera is tethered. Shooting on the Manual setting, and using the 50mm range on the zoom lens, we shoot for maximum depth-of-field keeping the f-stop at f22. The Canon camera has complementary software that allows for remote shooting, so we never have to touch the camera and risk ‘shake’ of the image. The camera also allows for Live View shooting that gives a preview of what the camera is seeing. This large preview displays on the computer workstation. This feature gives the three of us the ability to see what is being captured while we remain a safe 2-metres apart for Covid-19 safety. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmtSV6aylDyNv_Y-iAfxFHKIiZYIHJJRGAsZTM02IPZFCogivdgjFx3hk4GM_oy6vxxed1nCavZUvbQydOvB3OLdFPzk9d4f5072zYhi1e6WhQinYx2Gnvl6PfCxqxS9CZepRYHiF8kI/s2048/5_IMG_0792.JPEG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmtSV6aylDyNv_Y-iAfxFHKIiZYIHJJRGAsZTM02IPZFCogivdgjFx3hk4GM_oy6vxxed1nCavZUvbQydOvB3OLdFPzk9d4f5072zYhi1e6WhQinYx2Gnvl6PfCxqxS9CZepRYHiF8kI/s600/5_IMG_0792.JPEG"/></a></div>
The remote shooting program open on the left screen, and the Live View shooting program in operation on the right screen.
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<p style="text-align:left">Our lighting setup is simple. We have four 18” lamp heads on tripod stands. Each lamp has a nylon diffuser on its face. The lamps are fitted with cool compact bulbs, a necessity in our very small, not-well ventilated photography room. We arrange the lighting so that two lamps illuminate the backdrop and two lamps illuminate the artefact.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">As Christine Spenuk, project photographer, checks for lighting, exposure, focus and composition issues, she captures a few test shots of the artefact. Getting all of the settings perfect for each shot takes time and attention. Both Catharine and Christine check for the quality of the image and even lighting. They keep a logbook of the artefacts they have shot that includes a list of the shots per artefact, the composition of each shot, and the file name of the best shot. This logbook will help with the later steps in processing. The catalogue datasheet that stays with the artefact is also updated with a penciled notation of the date it was photographed.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBMOIIqPdZa5PCS2whdHY6TpZFBFEF8gR-kp1r8hyiwqfmSRfyW-nQ03sVPoiclqGE0UdlJWzQLjoHxTUlg_Ce7UK9ckSynAa0GfDf4tdcaeVjJAzhYyjIOIUmiNOHJiLcn-Y_1pPDSg/s2016/6_logbook.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBMOIIqPdZa5PCS2whdHY6TpZFBFEF8gR-kp1r8hyiwqfmSRfyW-nQ03sVPoiclqGE0UdlJWzQLjoHxTUlg_Ce7UK9ckSynAa0GfDf4tdcaeVjJAzhYyjIOIUmiNOHJiLcn-Y_1pPDSg/s600/6_logbook.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykKV4ybwWX4pYu7DZS776rwVwuTG166mr2SCqXMrZrWEd2En1kGQRhdEn07kdzGV9hTXAbqh9OzGGjKQdi3O7vDTIlkTcK6s9FKjQCfE3mVOdAQy4dp3aSGg-XZZJ2NaJqS7gWpvBN5s/s640/7_Selected+datasheets.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="600" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykKV4ybwWX4pYu7DZS776rwVwuTG166mr2SCqXMrZrWEd2En1kGQRhdEn07kdzGV9hTXAbqh9OzGGjKQdi3O7vDTIlkTcK6s9FKjQCfE3mVOdAQy4dp3aSGg-XZZJ2NaJqS7gWpvBN5s/s600/7_Selected+datasheets.jpg"/></a></div>
<p style="text-align:left">The final step is to check the composition to see if the shot is showing the most important characteristics of the artefact. Depending on the artefact, curators and researchers may want to see a specific aspect of the shoe emphasized in the shot, perhaps the heel, the closure mechanism, the toe shape, the silhouette or the vamp. Finding a composition and shooting angle that best represents the shoe in an overall shot is sometimes very challenging. This is where creativity comes into play.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">After capturing the overall shot, we take at least two additional shots: a profile and a sole shot. So often the sole of the shoe is not seen, and the sole can give a good deal of information, so this in an important shot. If there are finer details on the shoe that should be captured, we will do additional shots. For very close detail shots, we change the lens on the camera to a 100mm macro lens and shoot with an f-stop of f32, for the best depth-of-field.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">After all of the angles have been shot, the artefact is ready to be prepped to go back into storage. The storage mounts that were initially removed are put back into place, and the artefact is placed on the trolley for the short trip back to the storage room.</p>
<p style="text-align:left"> In the next blog, I will talk about the image file processing that comes next in the process.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcSqAhBycwFCIGBiPq2pzu8nDn61s2SBUPYpDv60bMaXlXbFE016D92MsxtsDIiElxk-fMAe25VX5-od-80xExwNgTqRWytDIOn4jSB4c5VRhrBVGdmNac18StRWp3v0JejJFsANL_DA/s1000/T130-Canada.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcSqAhBycwFCIGBiPq2pzu8nDn61s2SBUPYpDv60bMaXlXbFE016D92MsxtsDIiElxk-fMAe25VX5-od-80xExwNgTqRWytDIOn4jSB4c5VRhrBVGdmNac18StRWp3v0JejJFsANL_DA/s200/T130-Canada.png"/></a></div>
This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada’s Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations employment program.
<p style="text-align:left">Suzanne Petersen, Collections Manager</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-87353220768554789272021-09-26T10:00:00.016-04:002021-09-26T10:00:00.203-04:00Bows for Beaux<p style="text-align: left;">From time to time, the BSM hosts interns from conservation programs looking for practical experience. In the early 2010s, when visiting a colleague working at the textile conservation lab at the Costume Institute, MET, in New York City, I was introduced to an emerging conservator from Colombia, South America. She expressed interest in visiting Toronto to explore other conservation labs and meet like-minded professionals. We discussed the possibilities of working for two weeks at the BSM, performing treatment on several pairs of shoes, while at the same time touring the city.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">One of her areas of expertise was dyeing and colour matching for infills of missing fabrics which is a necessary skill in textile conservation. The BSM had two shoes from the late 17th century that were missing bows, a highly decorative and visually impactful component. Along with Elizabeth Semmelhack, BSM Director and Senior Curator, we researched what would be the most appropriate replacement for the original bows which involved looking at paintings from the period. We found two that seemed to fit the bill as the shoes in the portraits bore a striking similarity to the ones in the BSM collection.</p>
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Archduke Charles Joseph with squirrel, aged four to five years, 1653 – 1654
by Cornelis Sustermans, Kunsthistorisches Museum
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Herzog Philippe von Orleans, 1651 - 1654
by Justus van Egmont, Kunsthistorisches Museum
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<p style="text-align: left;">We ordered all the supplies (dyes and silk ribbons) in advance of her visit. After several attempts, the desired colour was achieved and you can see the amazing results in the photographs below.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFru_CSIFnzwpfMghnoPwW5tdphxcbfqPSQgnGEMYJG6m4VMQXov43WvBuaSAYRaFoNL7Cc2uVyiiLLAXK-p9Y1aomyBL3b7Po6HsWM-s73TporaT6mfWbeghKN00EGfjjcT0Toj7K6w/s0/Bows+for+Beaux-3.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFru_CSIFnzwpfMghnoPwW5tdphxcbfqPSQgnGEMYJG6m4VMQXov43WvBuaSAYRaFoNL7Cc2uVyiiLLAXK-p9Y1aomyBL3b7Po6HsWM-s73TporaT6mfWbeghKN00EGfjjcT0Toj7K6w/s0/Bows+for+Beaux-3.jpg" /></a></div>
<center>P90.0201 (before and after)</center>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryCE84k8yN8NnkB_H1UDLnwWPtS9fLF0U9P9hj0TwKqP5e74btBBwgr9NqrwEWVEUN_DuFkX5OcqtozBgeN_7FT6jOQudSLfZwAPb9gFwvHVuq46SoRlpmWOmhCb8aVj0YggyRp7G8UU/s0/Bows+for+Beaux-4.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryCE84k8yN8NnkB_H1UDLnwWPtS9fLF0U9P9hj0TwKqP5e74btBBwgr9NqrwEWVEUN_DuFkX5OcqtozBgeN_7FT6jOQudSLfZwAPb9gFwvHVuq46SoRlpmWOmhCb8aVj0YggyRp7G8UU/s0/Bows+for+Beaux-4.jpg" /></a></div>
<center>L92.0001 (before and after)</center>
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<p style="text-align: left;">By: Ada Hopkins, BSM conservator</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-64104072604407010972021-09-05T10:00:00.004-04:002021-09-05T10:00:00.199-04:00Successful Young Canada Works Project for Bata Shoe Museum<p style="text-align: left;">The Bata Shoe Museum’s long-term project to digitally photograph everything in the collection is moving ahead in 2021. Heading the project since 2007, I am so pleased to have two university students join the museum this summer/fall for a 385-hour Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations program, funded in part by the Government of Canada.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGRShnoUG49vRBD0E_ZAypgecZIvudmtrbhDonn5moT5YeI8ne6-rPzT1ayIJNB8IDa54rM5ooOIcRA5X5ohKHSAs0KuHhCEoxSxsS9WPkNSuGUdmX75zoQQnP34Niqcz7dZMzkLxyKs/s0/01+IMG_0625.JPEG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGRShnoUG49vRBD0E_ZAypgecZIvudmtrbhDonn5moT5YeI8ne6-rPzT1ayIJNB8IDa54rM5ooOIcRA5X5ohKHSAs0KuHhCEoxSxsS9WPkNSuGUdmX75zoQQnP34Niqcz7dZMzkLxyKs/s0/01+IMG_0625.JPEG" /></a></div>
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<p style="text-align: left;">Catharine Solomon and Christine Spenuk are now working with me to photograph a segment of the collection in high-resolution digital format. After two weeks of specialized training on-the-job, the team will soon be ready to create photographs of almost 900 artefacts, a process that involves many steps, exacting attention to detail, metadata collection and teamwork. The entire process is written up in the 50 page Image Procedure Manual I have written, so there is a written guide as well.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Catharine Solomon is being trained as the artefact handler for the project and is tasked with the safe and proper movement of artefacts. She plans the shot order and the movement of the artefacts from the storage rooms to the photography studio where she prepares the objects for photography by removing storage mounts. After placing an artefact on the photo backdrop, she works with the photographer to perfect the composition of the shot, moving the artefact slightly in order to capture its most photographic angle, and it’s most important features.</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">Christine Spenuk is the photographer on the project. She is bringing her passion for photography and her image software skills to the work. For the project, Christine is being trained in the photography requirements for this project, which include issues such as lighting, composition, exposure, and depth of field. She will set up the photography equipment for each shot and maintain the equipment, making sure she captures each object at its best light and angle, allowing its most important features to be captured. She will also track all of the shots we take in a journal, which will be updated with every capture.</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">After the actual shooting is done, the team will process, resize, format and rename the image files. The metadata will be collected in an excel sheet which takes an exacting effort to get all of the details absolutely correct. The images will then be uploaded to the museum’s collections management database, along with the excel sheet metadata. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">When the upload is complete, the new photographs are available to staff and researchers for use on our social media, website, publications and more.
The final step for the three of us on the project team is to update the data sheet hard copies for each artefact. These data sheets are kept next to every single object in the artefact storage room, for quick reference. It’s a great system that merges the digital with the analog, making information accessibility very straightforward for the whole curatorial team.</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><b>This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada’s Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations employment program.</b></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">Suzanne Petersen, Collections Manager</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-18410555502399792722021-08-31T11:00:00.041-04:002021-08-31T11:09:46.585-04:00From the Vault: Lace Up Sneakers<p style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Take a peek into our nearly 15,000 collection with our blog series, From the Vault! Every other week, we share interesting stories about one of our artefacts.</i></b></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><b>What is the provenance of this pair? When did they enter the BSM collection?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">These low-cut, lace-up sneakers would have been worn for a variety of athletic and leisurely pursuits at the end of the 19th century and was purchased for the museum in 1996. </p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Are there any features that distinguish this artefact from others of the same period and geographical location? </b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">They were made by the Goodyear Rubber Manufacturing Company which was founded in the middle of the century. Although these are simple canvas shoes, they demonstrate a subtle elegance. The attention to detail, which can be seen in touches such as the addition of small decorative leather tabs below the lacing, reflect the fact that the intended clientele was relatively privileged.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOERVdcqCb8Twm5VUlJ2-wc0k6e-HdubTAcOfc1AjQZ-XHZ_gEaXWYcLAdQiW7s9k2PWMN3_iT2NSF4tnG3ks-BgVCctch96YJVPwJuv7QHnjuuKJTx0LnoZl9_eQ1pt34Py3f4M9G8KI/s0/From+the+Vault_Lace+Up+Sneakers-3.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="734" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOERVdcqCb8Twm5VUlJ2-wc0k6e-HdubTAcOfc1AjQZ-XHZ_gEaXWYcLAdQiW7s9k2PWMN3_iT2NSF4tnG3ks-BgVCctch96YJVPwJuv7QHnjuuKJTx0LnoZl9_eQ1pt34Py3f4M9G8KI/s0/From+the+Vault_Lace+Up+Sneakers-3.jpg" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Can you elaborate more on this artefact?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Early sneakers were made of canvas with rubber soles that began as costly luxuries with social implications despite their humble appearance. The 19th century was a period of booming industrialization which gave rise to an upwardly mobile middle class and leisure time, long a privilege of the rich, was eagerly pursued as a means of proclaiming newfound status. This, in turn, led to a demand for specialized equipment and clothing designed specifically for these amusements. Enterprising manufacturers began to offer rubber-soled athletic shoes at prices reflecting not only the high cost of rubber but also the financial success of their intended clientele. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">In the United States, this increasingly ubiquitous form of footwear came to be called the 'sneaker', in addition to being called a 'tennis shoe' by the 1870s. The term ‘sneak’ was used as early as 1862 in England to refer to rubber galoshes and the fact that rubber soles let one pad around noiselessly. However, it was only in the US that the term sneaker became commonplace to identify rubber-soled athletic footwear by the 1870s. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vca4uLgBD_sJ8tk3FCLx4lSk7vdp0EBH0r8QlR7cNnn0P7b6_34eFKxfBT7e_GjA2EGSak89X2S1TwPaTLILcBQVtQYSKpdbceVGwNhBa2Hke98gqO-2S14SO9QOMqr2yr2lU1WgrK4/s0/From+the+Vault_Lace+Up+Sneakers-4.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="734" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vca4uLgBD_sJ8tk3FCLx4lSk7vdp0EBH0r8QlR7cNnn0P7b6_34eFKxfBT7e_GjA2EGSak89X2S1TwPaTLILcBQVtQYSKpdbceVGwNhBa2Hke98gqO-2S14SO9QOMqr2yr2lU1WgrK4/s0/From+the+Vault_Lace+Up+Sneakers-4.jpg" /></a></div>Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-24498276050562617972021-08-22T10:00:00.008-04:002021-08-22T10:00:00.198-04:00Best Foot Forward<p style="text-align:left">This man’s shoe was acquired by the BSM in 1983. The upper is made of a light blue silk brocade woven with a multi-colour floral pattern interspersed with metallic silver threads. The heel is covered with fine pink leather. The quarters, the back sides of the shoe, have tabs extending over the vamp that are tied with a large red silk grosgrain bow. These tabs, along with the topline, are covered with a pink silk binding to accent the heel. Its condition upon arrival was poor. There were losses of brocade on both sides of the vamps and quarters plus a hole at the end of the toe. The binding ribbon had almost completely deteriorated with 80% loss. The original bow was extant but it had faded as had the brocade and the leather. This forty-year-old photograph, taken at the time the shoe was catalogued, gives you an idea of its state even though the colour of the film emulsion has shifted significantly.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left">It was impossible to match the pattern of the brocade. Numerous colours of yarns made it challenging to select the perfect uniform thread match. It was decided to go with the predominant colour palette to fill and support the holes in the vamp and quarters: the pale grey-blue ground of the brocade. Green silk thread was used for the couching stitches as it was the most frequently occurring float yarn for the floral design. Silk crepeline ribbon was dyed pink to match the original topline binding. The crushed bow was humidified to reshape; interior supports for its loops were made of acid free card stock painted to match the unfaded underside of the ribbon which would be visible to the viewer when the shoe was on display.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8fdABmML6mc-NTD3UjA4r9btIETnyvprNDRLL3ywko6J1lEJVr5QvpZNlxv6J3Wb6t_qYhM70d-LnnZIKLY_iIQpBLvpnKK9nIO2SjtARKhoJcSEMVEfVp5oQpBAhQdkfPy66eCd-z0/s0/Best+Foot+Forward-2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8fdABmML6mc-NTD3UjA4r9btIETnyvprNDRLL3ywko6J1lEJVr5QvpZNlxv6J3Wb6t_qYhM70d-LnnZIKLY_iIQpBLvpnKK9nIO2SjtARKhoJcSEMVEfVp5oQpBAhQdkfPy66eCd-z0/s0/Best+Foot+Forward-2.jpg"/></a></div>
<p style="text-align:left">While there are many men’s eighteenth century boots in the collection, there are only three single shoes and one pair. The pair dates to the early 18th century; two of the singles are black leather; this brocade example is the fanciest. Historically, men’s footwear was not valued and saved the same way as women’s, making them a rare item in any museum’s collection. This shoe has been displayed in a few different exhibitions for 10 years in total, although not in a single stretch. The brocade has continued to fade and the dye for the silk faille infill has faded slightly as well; the silk thread used to sew the fills in place has not.</p>
<p style="text-align:left">You can see this shoe on display in the current special exhibition <i><a href="https://batashoemuseum.ca/great-divide/" target="_blank">The Great Divide: Footwear in the Age of Enlightenment</a></i>. It is also featured in the exhibition poster as the signature image.</p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_36lGBMsSRY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p style="text-align:left">Ada Hopkins, BSM Conservator</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-6481164405392169912021-08-17T10:00:00.022-04:002021-08-20T10:26:16.369-04:00New Acquisition: Adidas Superstar by Chris Severn<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB56tFffTnmePRT_jRW4ecCHoJg5sQ2ZYJmjslg18qvVcr7ni_ZCHUiwhEENVRVUrfG4dz1rCqA-GtmXFmsp0RCWrYaz9S-NkrNLmXWlElQbMlvEnoSjBu7yO92XKI_FDkxsOQ2zU5VJ8/s0/01+0H4A0467+fixed+lr.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB56tFffTnmePRT_jRW4ecCHoJg5sQ2ZYJmjslg18qvVcr7ni_ZCHUiwhEENVRVUrfG4dz1rCqA-GtmXFmsp0RCWrYaz9S-NkrNLmXWlElQbMlvEnoSjBu7yO92XKI_FDkxsOQ2zU5VJ8/s0/01+0H4A0467+fixed+lr.jpg" /></a></div><i>The pair of retro adidas Superstars in original packaging, as customized for the BSM by their original designer, Chris Severn. Photo © Bata Shoe Museum.
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<p style="text-align: left;">The Bata Shoe Museum recently received a donation by the pioneer of the adidas Superstar, Chris Severn!</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The Superstar was developed by Chris, Horst Dassler and a team of people at adidas after Chris realized the basketball shoe needed improvements. After some prototypes and releases of similar shoes in the 1950s and 1960s, the Superstar was launched in 1969 with some important features, making it one of the most worn shoes in basketball during that decade. </p>
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Image of Chris Severn, Horst Dassler and the Superstar.
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<p style="text-align: left;">The Superstar introduced features that no other basketball shoe had. First, it featured a high-cut heel counter to better support the wearer against sprained ankles and rubbing around the heel to prevent blisters.</p>
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The higher, more supportive heel counter was an important new safety feature. Photo © Bata Shoe Museum.
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<p style="text-align: left;">Second, the shoe introduced a padded tongue that distributed the pressure of the laces. The tongue allowed the shoe to be laced-up securely without reducing blood circulation to the foot.</p>
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Note the padded tongue of the Superstar. Photo © Bata Shoe Museum.
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<p style="text-align: left;">And third, a slightly raised heel, created by inserting a low wedge, gave more cushioning when the player landed after jump shots.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The materials were changed to increase length of wear and serviceability. The uppers were made of leather instead of canvas. The soles featured a new herringbone grip pattern and were made out of a rubber material that gave more traction.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The construction of the sole was improved by adding the iconic line of stitching at the top of the moulded rubber sole. The sole was now both glued and stitched, reducing the chance that the layers of the sole would come apart.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dc-VFXx_00fiyP74TUawQqA9wPJ0m8v6FAjUfI_0nmJwiAQJq4Agb0aGS0npq2bbM2j-dDRmcxW65WJ50ih-P_RdKIKDinGtpFlF5B0iSOEDkKEbQ5_ko2BRGkNprGcGlGJ_ZacAC0k/s0/05+0H4A0455+fixed+lr.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dc-VFXx_00fiyP74TUawQqA9wPJ0m8v6FAjUfI_0nmJwiAQJq4Agb0aGS0npq2bbM2j-dDRmcxW65WJ50ih-P_RdKIKDinGtpFlF5B0iSOEDkKEbQ5_ko2BRGkNprGcGlGJ_ZacAC0k/s0/05+0H4A0455+fixed+lr.jpg" /></a></div><i>
The leather uppers increased wear. The stitched-down moulded sole improved the reliability and longevity of the sole. Photo © Bata Shoe Museum.
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<p style="text-align: left;">The ‘shell’ toe was the last feature to be added. The rubber toe cap protects the wearer and can withstand heavy use during the game. If you have any questions about this new acquisition, let us know.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Suzanne Petersen, Collections Manager</p>
Bata Shoe Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675404456037844996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4949838170329976134.post-34568366454692383562021-08-10T10:45:00.002-04:002021-08-10T10:46:23.018-04:00From the Vault: L.P. Perchellet Boots<p style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Take a peek into our 14,000+ collection with our blog series, From the Vault! Every other week, we're sharing interesting stories about one of our artefacts.</i></b></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7agwLn6v1xYMuhSDfB7F6I6ACCsQ8Bjivtqa3kbSNwxyhj6sKEy5Ng5on-ztjoN8Kl8uV8vxzf02V1QK9ub1ZDwW_3lS07fNoBM2njVoEknPcCB1SQzfct02sFA3LIJbZWtykKvHe-9Y/s0/From+the+Vault_Aug+10-3.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="983" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7agwLn6v1xYMuhSDfB7F6I6ACCsQ8Bjivtqa3kbSNwxyhj6sKEy5Ng5on-ztjoN8Kl8uV8vxzf02V1QK9ub1ZDwW_3lS07fNoBM2njVoEknPcCB1SQzfct02sFA3LIJbZWtykKvHe-9Y/s0/From+the+Vault_Aug+10-3.jpg" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;"><b>What is the provenance of this pair? When did they enter the BSM collection?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">These pair of boots, along with five other identical pairs, was purchased for the museum at an auction in Santiago, Chile in 1983. The shoes were part of an estate sale and came from a house that had been untouched for over 100 years. They date to 1875.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKnfnLQHcf6SuqZzov1mJ6QMHcJCE6vD4mRD-04w39El_w6vBzvvHCc4ut3C464wnD9CopQeMbGYmkz6pCtDh7SdAHPkKN8hxFkz5dfd2BVH_myf01ql0NB-oYEYKHwZGslm78EdW280/s0/From+the+Vault_Aug+10-2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="655" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKnfnLQHcf6SuqZzov1mJ6QMHcJCE6vD4mRD-04w39El_w6vBzvvHCc4ut3C464wnD9CopQeMbGYmkz6pCtDh7SdAHPkKN8hxFkz5dfd2BVH_myf01ql0NB-oYEYKHwZGslm78EdW280/s0/From+the+Vault_Aug+10-2.jpg" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Are there any features that distinguish this artefact from others of the same period and geographical location? </b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">These boots were made by the award-winning Parisian shoe manufacturer L.P. Perchellet. How they came to Chile remains unclear. They could have been purchased in Paris and sent to Chile or they may have been imported. The six pairs have their original shoe boxes and are all unworn. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYv2OnzpL_Ts9G0IjCqxbposQOip0yJpABKPDitITpbsBML8Q3Q5JSvbgFFOgssWkmrkwKKY2KJbrIQdB_5qJLbdYVWGxwf2BCTc1h2v31JLsKVJp-aFajVcsUAqu2ApibOPJA8AWR08/s0/From+the+Vault_Aug+10-1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYv2OnzpL_Ts9G0IjCqxbposQOip0yJpABKPDitITpbsBML8Q3Q5JSvbgFFOgssWkmrkwKKY2KJbrIQdB_5qJLbdYVWGxwf2BCTc1h2v31JLsKVJp-aFajVcsUAqu2ApibOPJA8AWR08/s0/From+the+Vault_Aug+10-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Can you elaborate more on this artefact?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The industrialization of shoemaking in the 19th century made a wide variety of fashionable footwear available to women at many different price points. Women who could afford fine footwear sought out the exquisite boots made by exclusive firms, while those on tighter budgets acquired mass-produced yet still lovely examples such as this pair. Mass production created product consistency and the invention of the sewing machine allowed for footwear to be decorated with embroidery while remaining accessibly priced. Details like tassels, bows and shiny buttons added to their appeal.</p>
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