Pattens
Not on view
Walking on rough unpaved or cobbled streets was perilous business in the thin silk-covered shoes of the 18th and early 19th centuries. This pair of overshoes is a rare and interesting combination of the two styles worn at the time, the clog and the patten. The clog was essentially a thick sole made to conform to the bottom of a shoe, with straps securing it to the foot. The patten consisted of a wooden sole elevated on an iron ring. The hobnailed leather pads and serrated iron ring suggest that this pair was made for icy winter conditions.