Antique Gold Embroidered Woman’s Velvet Slippers: C19th Philippines

Item Details.
From the Far East, possibly the Philippines a pair of fine hand embroidered black velvet slippers dating from the second half of the 19th century.

I often wish that the things that we buy would speak and tell us a story. And amazingly these do!
Handwritten in a shaky hand (and inaccurate) is written ‘These slippers came from Tokyo Japan at the close of the Spanish American wars in the Philippines in 1899 cc Brought back by Col. Boyd Wales your Grandmas brother’

Handmade from an black velvet which has been embroidered with traditional gold metal thread work which incorporates coils of silver and gold metal thread twisted and wrapped around a linen thread which is then applied to created decorative floral and other motifs.

Finished with off-white floss silk pompoms and silk ribbon edging these slippers were probably made for a wedding or similar ceremony.

Highly collectible and decorative they would be a great addition to a collection or for costume study purposes.

Measurements:
23cm long X 8cm wide (9 x 3 inches)

Condition.
They are in never worn condition an over all patina of age as you would expect in an item of this antiquity.