*2-Day* Fresh Barn Finds & Country Estate Auction (Day 1/2)
Lot 40:
Description
C-18886
c. 1910s-1920s; Merrill, Porter & Co. – Lynn, MA Black leather lace-up ankle boots with rounded toes, low stacked heels, and plain, utilitarian uppers characteristic of early 20th-century American footwear. Constructed with smooth finished leather uppers, fabric laces, and leather soles secured with metal fasteners at the heel. The silhouette is restrained and practical, falling between a dress boot and a work or walking boot, suitable for everyday wear during the period. Interior construction and sole stamping confirm manufacture by Merrill, Porter & Co. of Lynn, Massachusetts, a city widely regarded as the epicenter of American shoe production during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Merrill, Porter & Co. was one of many established Lynn manufacturers supplying durable, ready-to-wear footwear during a time when American shoemaking shifted from handcraft to industrialized production. Boots of this type would have been worn for daily urban or light industrial use, offering ankle support and modest elevation while remaining practical and repairable. The surviving leather shows honest wear that underscores their age and use, with no modern alterations apparent.
Leather shows surface wear and creasing throughout but remains supple with no cracking observed. Soles show wear consistent with use and age and remain in fair condition. Laces appear period-appropriate replacements. Overall structurally sound.
9.5" L x 3" W (sole measurement)
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