Think I know but probably wrong

[bruce01364]

Found a few of these at old cellar holes. Not sure what kind of metal but thinking it was nailed to shoe heels, to keep rubber (or leather) from wearing down. Thing is...all the ones I have found are about this size. Small for a shoe unless for a child or small person. Why haven't I found larger ones for adults? I used something similar in the 60's for my shoes but they didn't wrap around the heel like these would do if it was for that purpose. They were just flat and nailed near the edge of the heel. So that's why I'm thinking I could be wrong about what this is. One thing I am sure about...they are not horse shoes.

 

[GoGoGopher]

It sure looks like a heel plate, but also has me thinking Upholstery item from arm of chair??? Tack fabric down???

HH,

 

[SlickT]

Toe Tap ??

 

[bruce01364]

Guess it could be any of those things if they were common in the 1800's.

 

[taz42o]

Victorian ladies shoes taper to a very small heel and toe.
This first heart heel plate is only 1 1/2" by 1 1/2".

http://www.ladiesemporium.com/store/ladies_shoes.php

 

[CarolinaClyde]

n/t

 

[taz42o]

Not so dramatically that it would be readily apparent. Some studies indicate that the average shoe size was about half a size smaller 200 years ago than it is today.
A person 6" shorter does not make much of a difference in foot size.

 

[CarolinaClyde]

I've probrably dug over a hundred of these and they are mostly all small. I think that I've read that people had smaller feet back in the day.

 

[bruce01364]

Didn't know about small heeled ladies shoes like that taz but now makes sense. Assume heel plate I found is a cheaper, more common one used than the pics you posted. Thanks all.

 

[blue dunbar]

Looks like the taps we had put on our shoes around 1957-58 during a fad in junior high school. Didn't last long as the school district (Los Angeles) cracked down on the noise they made in class and the hallways. (you had to obey in those days)

 

[nge]

I think they were used on to toe of the sole.......NGE

 

[Aarong81]

I have also dug several of the boot plates like you have pictured in the original post but I have not kept any of them. I found this heart boot plate and until I found this post I only assumed it was a heel of a boot. It has the numbers 1 1/2 on the back side of the plate. I has been hit by something and bent. Its nice to see another one like it! I wonder how old these heart designed plates are? Found in Trenton, MO.