I’ve been eyeing the decorative use of stickpins on old pin cushions and other little things of late, so was thrilled to find this wonderful little boot, with painstakingly executed stickpin border all around, and a couple of tiny tassels at top to boot (ha!) Down the front/toe of the boot the pins punctuate embroidered laces; on the rest of the perimeter they run down the center of carefully done edge stitching. Some loss/fraying of what I think is silk fabric at the toe and heel and a little staining, but structurally sound and stable. Late-is 19th century I believe.

2 3/8” t x 2 5/8” wide x 1/4” thick. I assume this was meant to be a pin cushion, through I would be loathe to remove on of the pins to use it! There is paper just below the fabric, so it also seems perhaps just a whimsy?