Sunday, December 11, 2011

1920s Rhinestone Shoe Heels

Fezziwig's Ball was yesterday, so I should owe you pictures. But mother has most of the good ones, so you have to wait! I also owe you pictures from the Dickens German Cotillion performance last week, and the Salem Light Infantry Levee and Ball before that. I am the worst. But since I am too tired to fix all that the night after a ball, let me distract you with something shiny!

I was browsing about on the Augusta Auctions website one day, when I came across these absolutely drool-worthy shoes heels from the 1920s. The title for them is "Cream & Blue Jeweled Shoe Heels, 1920s" and the description says they are a wood shank with pearlized celluloid overlay, decorated with rhinestones and brass beading.
Similarly, the also had "2 Pair Black Jeweled Shoe Heels, c. 1920s," made of wood with celluloid overlay and rhinestone/brass beading inserts.
And then  "Aqua Jeweled Shoe Heels, 1920s," again made of the same materials.
Wow. This is a thing. A beautiful, fun, sparkly thing. The Kyoto Institute also has some awfully cute ones. AND LOOK HOW MANY OF THEM. These are so amazing, and so varied. Different colors of celluloid, different colors of rhinestones, varied patterns and designs... I love them so much.
Too bad they're all detached from their shoes, right? Well, let's look for some more examples then! These appear to belong to the Bata shoe museum. I absolutely love the use of colored crystals, and the fact that they get repeated on the shoe itself. These are fantastic.
Or there are these ones from Shoe Icon, which have a crazy pattern, swirly gold straps, and sparkly rhinestone heels. Awesome.
These pink ones are lovely too! They are even for sale here. I mean, you could actually go BUY these shoes. Wow.
Or you could buy this pair on ebay here. I love these because they show that you can wear a sparkly silver heel on an un-rhinestoned solid colored not sliver shoe (made of green velvet, no less). Amazing.
And then of course, sometimes you need an alternative to subtle... like all over rhinestone shoes!
I have a dremmel... and a bunch of point-backed swarovsky rhinestones... Quick! Somebody fine me a pair of pumps to destroy! Also, let me know if you have a good idea for how to fake pearlized celluloid... hmm...

3 comments:

  1. These heels are fantastic! I was just watching videos of the Charleston. Wouldn't it be fantastic to kick up your heels in rhinestoned shoes?

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  2. These guys have the pearlized celluloid in sheets for making guitar parts.
    http://www.warmoth.com/Blank-Stock-10-x-12-C863.aspx
    I have no idea how hard it is to work with, though.

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  3. What an art on shoe heels! Great colors of rhinestones, very elegant and trendy shoes. Nowadays there are a lot of Wholesale rhinestones available but the history of these 1920s shoe heels is very interesting because it is really a work of art.

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