Bronzed baby high button shoe Age? Cleaning?

looks to be pretty old, But what do i know?
Is there any way to clean the green off of of with out ruining the patina?

Mikey

 

Hi Mikey,
The only way I know is to soak (submerge)it in olive oil for a while perhaps a week or longer. I learned this hint on the coin board. They use it for removing the "greenies" of bronze coins without disturbing the patina on the coins. I used it to remove the green stuff on a large bronze cruifix. It took a week but what a difference. Buy the cheap stuff, do not waste money on the good stuff.
greg

 

Is it a bronzed shoe, which I remember was a daft fad in the 1950s, or a bronze model of a shoe? Which is a different matter.

 

yeah . . . because I think if one were to submerge it in something, and there was the least little bit of leather exposed (like on the inside) that would not be a good thing.

 

It is a real shoe bronzed. the bronze is thin though and there might be exposed leather at least on the inside.

 

Mikey, please don't take offense but . . . is there even a faint "impression" on the bottom of the shoe with a name of the child who wore the shoe and/or possibly a date?

I have a bronzed high-top 5-button bronze child's shoe dated (inscribed) on the bottom Aug. 21, 1900, and the full name (first, middle, last) of the child (a little girl) who wore it and it has the number "47" impressed on the sole. Mine is taller (more high-top) than yours and a bit longer in the foot. And yes, on my shoe the leather inside is not "protected," it is just leather.

The old shoe described above weighs 4.5 oz. -- what does your shoe weigh?

 

I used ketchup. I only did one tiny area at a time. I applied it with a toothpick, and used the tooth pick to rub the green area for several seconds and then wiped it off with a clean paper towel. Test a tiny area on the inside. You may have to do the same area more than once to remove the greenies without taking away the patina.

 

Hi Mikey,
If the inside is not bronzed I would turn it sole up and just soak the top. Oil should not hurt a little bit of leather.
greg

 

Hi Greg,
Thanks for the great information. ill try it sometime.
I tried the ketchup and it seemed to do the trick to get enough off that it will be a better sell.

yourturntoloveit,
Mine has no markings on the bottom as yours does. It has some bronze on the inside also,
but not much. It weighs 3 oz
So Victorian era?

 

Oh and Thank you very Much Mill Cove.

 

Oh my goodness, Mikey, it looks wonderful.

 

These shoes were worn well into the 20th century.
There are photos of my dad wearing them at about age 2 or 3, and he was born in 1914.

 

Is there a way to tell if it is 19th or 20th century?
Mikey

 

Thank you yourturntoloveit.
it is for sale............

 

Adorable shoe I had only one, not as old as yours but sold it as a possible pin cushion. Some sewers like to stuff a cushion inside and they make cute pin cushions

PS
Mine was hightop with laces.
I remember my granddad's being button up and he was born in 18889.

 

Ketchup has vinegar which is acetic acid. You want to be sure and get it all off. Then coat with an oil.
The oil will seal the pores and keep it from eroding more.

You do not have to soak the item. Use a rag soaked in oil to rub the surface. Let it sit and wipe off any excess.

Greg always recommends olive oil. I recommend mineral oil as it does not go rancid over time.

 

Hi Pat,
For everything else I also recommend mineral oil but for removing stuff from bronze, olive works better. I never wipe off, the tiny stuff will scratch the bronze or patina. I rinse it off and spray with soapy water and rinse a few times and air dry.