A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum, 1593-1613

A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 The link on the year will take you to an image of that shoe horn. Italic notes are quotes from the references, notes within brackets are my commentary. Year

Inscription

Reference The connoisseur: an illustrated magazine for collectors, Volume 194. Sampson Low, Marston & Co., 1977,

Connoiseur: ... and at the corner of the building a Shoe horn by Robert Mindum, dated 1593. [picture caption] Shoe horn by Robert Mindum dated 1593. Museum of London

London – A Concise History by Geoffrey Trease, Thames & Hudson 1975.

Trease: [caption. p98] Seventeenth-century bone [sic]shoehorn, inscribed — either as a mark of ownership or by way of advertisement — with the name of Hamlet Radesdale Stettson, 'the Coupar of Londan'.

Country Life, Volume 153, 1973 pp 1621, 1627-8

Country Life: One of the most intriguing workers in horn was Robart Mindum about whom we know nothing save that which he reveals of himself in the beautifully engraved shoehorns and powder-horns which he was producing at the end of the 16thcentury. … …the inscription around the edge of a shoe-horn reads "This is Hamlet Radesdale Stettsonthe Coupar of Londan Anno Domini 1593. [signed] Robart Mindum Mad This".

The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans

Evans: Inside the inscribed band is a circular medallion with a trefola, and three goats' heads; it has a heraldic effect although the arms are not identifiable. Besides this are the initials HR, two geometrical medallions... [The footnotes confirm this is one of the horns owned by her father, John Evans and is the one exhibited in London and at the Royal Society. Joan Evans donated the horns to the Museum of London]

1593

THIS IS HAMLET RADESDALE SETTESON THE COVPAR OF LONDAN ANNO DOMINI 1593 SARVE GOD HR ROBART MINDVM MAD THIS.

Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Settson 1593 continued Notes and Queries, 10th Series, Volume 8, August 24, 1907. p156 Letter by seeking information on the Radesdales.

Version 1.14 Notes Notes: I possess a beautifully engraved shoeing-horn with the following inscription : THIS IS HAMLET RADESDALE SETTSON THE COVPAR OF LONDAN ANNO DOMINI 1593. SARVE GOD. H R ROBART MINDVM MAD THIS. Who the Radesdales were I am unable to say. I have two other specimens of Mindum’s work. … JOHN EVANS.

Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Second Series, xiv, pp 209–224.(1893)

Proceedings s2 vol 14: ... To the above notes should be added, that Mr. George Roots exhibited to the Society, April 19th, 1855, a shoe-horn by Mindum, inscribed and dated 1593.* [Footnote: Vol. iii. p. 179.] I have since learnt from Sir John Evans that he has got two examples of shoe-horns dated respectively 1593 and 1600…

Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, First Series, vol. iii. pp. 179 (April 19, 1855)

Proceedings s2 vol 3: George Roots, Esq., F.S.A., exhibited a Shoe-horn of the latter part of the 16th century, which has been in the possession of his family many years. It is carved on the outer surface with various ornaments, surrounded by the following inscription:-“THIS IS HAMLET RADESDALE SETTSON THE COVPAR OF LONDON ANNO DOMINI 1593 – SARVE GOD ROBART MINDVM MAD THIS”. In the centre the initials H. R. Current location: Museum of London, item number 58.38/1, June 2015

Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum collection http://www.salisburymuseum.org.uk/collections/c ostumes/shoehorn 1593

THIS IS IANE AYRES SHOEING … ROBART MINDVM 1593

Notes Shoehorn 1593 - Shoehorn engraved and inscribed by Robert Mindun[sic] in 1593 depicting a figure in Elizabethan costume, perhaps Jane Ayers the lady named in the inscription. Mindun[sic] is the earliest recorded English engraver of horn. Current location: Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum, UK 2010

The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans

1594

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Brandon, S., Buttonhooks and Shoehorns, Shire Library, 1984 THIS IS WYLYAM ROWNYNS SHOEIN HORNE MADE BY THE HANDES OF ROBART MINDUM 1594

[The shoe horn appears to have broken across the full width near the top of the tree, and has been repaired with at least ten metallic rivets and presumably a backing strip.] Evans: I have no details of the engraved decoration.

Brandon: [caption to photos on p11] Robart Mindum shoehorns of white ox-horn, inscribed and dated. …Centre: 'This is Wylyam Rowyns shoein horne made by the handes of Robart Mindum. Anno Domine 1594'.Length 180mm. … Current Location: Museum of London, item number 58.38/2, June 2015

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans

Version 1.14 Notes Evans: On the main field is a scale and geometric decoration, the word GOD, perhaps as part of the motto SERVE GOD and the date 1595. Like Hamlet Redesdale's horn this has had its point turned back to form a hook.

Hardwick, P, Discovering Horn, Guildford, Surrey : Lutterworth Press, 1981, p62

Hardwick: Shoe horns (r) Shoe horn engraved with floral and geometric designs dated 1595 and inscribed THIS IS RICHARD CRABS SHOE IN HORNE MADE BY THE HAND OF ROBART MINDVM. … Shoe horns are the subject of ardent graving by the craftsman Robert Mindum, whose work covers the period between 1593 and 1612, and these make valuable collectors’ items. York Castle Museum has a shoe horn very similar to the type illustrated, but lacks the more usual addition of Mindum’s name. In each case the graving follows both floral and geometric designs with the lettering clearly defined and spaced. [Correspondence with York Castle Museum (Oct 2014) revealed a very amateurish pokerwork shoe horn of the correct period (1611) but with only a very superficial resemblance to Mindum’s work. It is also done with the narrow end as the top of the design, like those of known guild members. See the section on others, below.]

Brandon, S., Buttonhooks and Shoehorns, Shire Library, 1984

Brandon: [caption to photos on p11] Robart Mindum shoehorns of white ox-horn, inscribed and dated. Top: 'This is Richard Crabs shoein horne made by the handes of Robart Mindum. God 1595'. The end is hooked and pierced for suspension, overall length 160mm.

1595

THIS IS RICHARD CRABS SHOEIN HORNE MADE BY THE HANDES OF ROBART MINDVM 1595 GOD

Current Location: Museum of London, item number 74.338/3, June 2015 Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Notes and Queries, vol 140 (1921), p168 1595

THIS IS JANE AYRES SHOEINE HORNE MADE BY THE HANDS OF ROBERT MINDUM 1595

All About Shoes: Footwear Through the Ages, Bata, (1994), p57

Notes [Jane Ayres obviously was a return customer because the inscriptions are different on the 1593 and 1595 horns] Current Location: unknown In this collection of early shoehorns, the one of engraved ivory [sic] one stands out because of its design, the following message is engraved around the edge: This is Robart Go To Beds Shoenhorn Made By The Hands Of Robart Hendart Mindum Anno Domine 1595 [Interestingly, high resolution photograph supplied to me from the Bata Shoe Museum of this shoe horn, does not show the middle name “Hendart”. Whoever wrote the caption must have been aware of the 1596 shoehorn to get his middle name. My earlier analysis of the photo from the book was close, other than Robert’s profession. Rather than being a nightwatchman, from the tools around him, I think he was a thatcher.i There is very light wear to the end, and a small chip from the top left corner. There are four basic design fields, but unlike his later designs, there are no formal divisions between them. Two s-hilt daggers or short swords at the top, to either side of the tip of a large fleur-de-lys with two balls beside its base. Below that, a guilloche, one of his most highly decorated. The third virtual field is populated by a standing male figure wearing a fine pinked suit, a ruff and hat. Above his right shoulder is a large knife and a tool that looks like a thatcher’s legget. By his right hip is a serrated tool that’s used to secure the rushes until the spar is inserted. Near his left shoulder is a hand axe and hay hook and by his left side is a reeding pin, almost identical to the one circa

1595

This is robart go to beds shoenhorn made by the hands of robart mindVm anno domine 1595

Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Go To Bed 1595 continued

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Notes 1607 recovered in the dig at Jamestown in Virginia. In the fourth location is a tree, with two small mounds surmounted with crosses? Closing the decoration fields is a diagonally hatched band and at the bottom is a 5x5 checkerboard pattern. A hole is in the centre line, and the tip is bent back to form a hook.] Current location: Bata Museum Collection, Toronto Canada confirmed 26 September 2016.

Sotherby's, Friday, 21st April 1978 'Catalogue of English Furniture, Works of Art, and Oriental Rugs and Carpets’.

Sotherby’s: Lot 87: A Rare Elizabethan Shoe Horn, engraved with a female figure in contemporary dress and scalework below, dated above 1596 and inscribed This is Robart Hendart Mindum, 5½in. long (14cm.) late 16th century.

Matthew Barton Limited, Decorative Works of Art, Tuesday 24th November 2015

Barton: Lot 134: AN ELIZABETHAN SHOE HORN, BY ROBERT HENDART MINDUM (FLOURISHED 15931613), DATED 1596 incised and inked with a lady, her hands on her hips, flanked by hatched borders and the legend 'THIS IS ROBART HEND / 1596 / ART MINDUM', below a band of scalework, suspension hole and curved terminal 14.5cm long Provenance: Sotheby's, London, 21 April 1978, lot 87

1596 THIS IS robart hend… [missing] …ART MINDVM 1596

Sale name MB241115 Lot Number 0134

This lot forms an addition to the fascinating corpus of shoe horns by Robert (or ‘Robart’ as he invariably signed himself) Mindum, twenty-one of which are to be found catalogued online by Wayne Robinson, A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 (see Comparative Literature below). Apart from the horns themselves and one powder Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Mindum 1596 continued

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Notes horn, nothing concrete is known of Mindum himself. It seems likely he was an amateur worker in horn; his name apparently does not appear on the rolls of the Horner’s nor any other London company. Robinson speculates, given the similarities of the decoration on pamphlets and other printed matter of the period to that on the horns, that Mindum may have been a printer, used to working with woodblocks. He makes a case for the shoe horns having bought by Mindum as ‘blanks’ from different sources. Apart from the present example, another Mindum shoe horn, dated 1599, has yet to be catalogued by Robinson, for which see Christie’s, London, 24 April 1986, lot 55. For recent auction sales of Mindum shoe horns, see Sotheby’s, New York, 4 April 2007, lot 126, sold for $20,400 (including buyer’s premium) and Rowley’s, Newmarket, 22 July 2010, lot 38, sold for £8,800 (excluding buyer’s premium) Comparative Literature: Wayne Robinson, A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613, http://coppergate.com.au/downloads/catalogue_sh oehorns_Robert_Mindum_1593_1613.pdf (accessed 25.10.15) Wayne Robinson, Mindum’s shoehorns — a study of method, https://leatherworkingreverend.wordpress.com/201 3/08/29/mindums-shoehorns-a-study-of-method/ (accessed 25.10.15) Geoffrey Trease, London, A Concise History, London, 1975

Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Mindum 1596 continued

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Notes Joan Evans, Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum, The Burlington Magazine, London, November 1944 Paula Hardwick, Discovering Horn, Guildford, 1981, p.62. The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs. Vol. 85, No. 500, London, November 1944, pp.282-284 Auction Estimate £4000-6000

GetWestLondon 6 November 2015 Rare Elizabethan shoe horn expected to fetch £6,000 at auction

GetWestLondon: A rare Elizabethan shoe horn could sell for as much as £6,000 when it goes under the hammer in Kensington. It is up for auction Matthew Barton Ltd’s bi-annual auction of Decorative Works of Art which takes place on November 24, at 25 Blythe Road. The horn is signed with the legend ‘THIS IS ROBART HEND / 1596 / ART MINDUM’, and is decorated with a lady with her hands on her hips, flanked by hatched borders, and measures 14.5cm long. Robart is known to have flourished between 1593 and 1613 but now 22 further examples of his shoe horns are known to be in existence. [It's missing at least the top third, there's a row of small triangles along what is now the top separating the design fields. The missing end would probably feature a fleur-di-lys or encrowned Tudor rose. If it follows the usual formula, the inscription will be;

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Mindum 1596 continued

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Notes “This is Robart Hendart Mindum's shoing horn made by the hands of Robart Mindum” I reckon that's a picture of Jane Ayres, she's wearing the same hat as in her portrait on her 1593 shoe horn.] Current location: Private collection, UK

Christies in London, in 2005, number was Sale 5767 lot 104

Christies: AN ELIZABETHAN SHOE HORN BY ROBERT MINDUM, 1597 The oxhorn with stained engraved decoration of a crowned rose and other motifs and date 1597 with inscription border reading THIS IS WILL’YAM S……..OF ROBART MINDVM, losses to rounded end, 5 3/8in. (13.5cm.) [This horn appears to be missing the entire top third]

Sophie Cope, Marking Design Part 2: Objects in the Sea of Time. (accessed 6 March 2014)

Cope: A series of some twenty shoehorns by the maker Robert Mindum are known from the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. They are all inscribed with the name of the owner, the year, and the name of Mindum himself. One example is inscribed, ‘This is Will’yam S…[Of] Robart Mindum 1597’

1597

THIS IS WILL’YAM S… [missing] … OF ROBART MINDVM 1597

Current location: Private collection, UK

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans 1597

Version 1.14 Notes Evans: It too has bands of scale ornament; it also has a fleur-de-lis at the end and a crowned medallion in the middle. [If it follows the usual formula, the inscription will be; “This is John Gibsons shoeing horn made by the hands of Robert Mindum”]

THIS IS IOHN GYBSONS SHO[…] HANDES OF ROBART MINDVM 1597

Current Location: Museum of London, item number 58.38/4, June 2015

The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans

Evans: Another from the same year [1597] in the Drane collection is engraved with a chequer pattern and leaves as well as the usual medallions. The owner's name has unfortunately been scratched away. Current Location: unknown

1597

Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Grant, H., The Sale Prices: An Annual Report of Sales by Auction, of ... Objects of Artistic and Antiquarian Interest (exclusive of Books)., Volume 2, Parts 1-3, 1897, p9 Sotheby’s LOT 126 Celebration of the English Country House, New York in 2007

1598

Notes Grant: 133 An early English Shoe-horn with the Tudor rose surmounted by a crown, and inscription "Robart Mindum made this shoing horne for Rose Fales. Anno Domini 1598". (18) H. Phillips, £2 Sotherby's: A RARE ELIZABETHAN ENGRAVED HORN SHOE HORN BY ROBART MINDAM, DATED 1598 of typical form, the outer edge engraved ROBART MINDUM MADE THIS SHOING HORNE FOR ROSE FALES ANNO DOMINI 1598, the inscription enclosing panels engraved with a Tudor rose beneath a crown, a band of guilloche, a spray of leaves and a panel of cross hatching and lozenges, the engraving retaining some of the original black and red rubbed in mastic, the end pierced for a cord, the surface of a rich cream color with black-brown markings. length 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm). Catalogue note This rare shoe horn is one of a very small number which were made by this craftsman. Bearing various dates between 1593 and 1612 all appear to be made from white ox horn, the raw horn firstly being cut in two along its natural curve. The pieces were then heated over a flame until the natural material was pliable enough for it to be placed in a shaped vice until cooled. The horn was then polished and, as in the present example engraved, the decoration being accentuated by rubbing in various colors. All craftsmen in horn would have first served an apprenticeship before joining The Worshipful Company of Horners, a guild which had its origins in the eighth century, its members originally being a member of a group of agricultural guilds known as Frith Guilds. The word guild is derived from the

ROBART MINDUM MADE THIS SHOING HORNE FOR ROSE FALES ANNO DOMINI 1598

Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Fales 1598 continued

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The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans

Notes Anglo-Saxon gildan or gildare meaning to pay and is a reference to the contribution expected from each person towards a common fund. The first recorded reference to the actual Horner’s Company was in 1284, a later document from fifteenth century indicating that an Act was passed forbidding any information on the development of uses of horn to be handed on to anyone outside England. It is however clear from the records indicating a flourishing export trade that this was not adhered to. Little is known of the career of Robart Mindum, who was presumably a guild member, other than his surviving signed work. An article by Joan Evans in the Burlington Magazine, November, 1944, records a small group of shoe horns signed by him variously dated and inscribed between the years 1593 and 1612. The owners of these include: Hamlet Radesdale Stetson ‘the coupar of London’, 1593, ‘Wylam Rownyns’, 1594, ‘Richard Crabs’, 1595, ‘John Gybson’, 1597, ‘Ambres Buckells’, 1598, ‘Mattthew Westfeldes’, 1600, ‘Willyam Morris’, 1601, ‘Bridget Dearsley’, 1605 and another dated 1612 of which the inscription has been erased. Joan Evans also records two other shoe horns of which she has no details and also a powder horn dated 1601. Evans: ... Joan Evans also records two other shoe horns of which she has no details Current location: unknown, presumably private collection

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference 1598 The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans THIS IS … [missing] … ROBART MINDUM ANNO DO MINI 1598 SARVE GOD

1598

Notes Evans: Mindum made at least two shoe horns in the following year. [1598] One, once in the Drane collection has the usual scale work and the motto SARVE GOD; unfortunately the owner's name has been worn away. Current Location: Museum of London, item number 58.38/4, June 2015

Costume Historian - Shoehorns by Robert Mindum (active 1593-1612) 28 April 2013

Historian: The example in the [Painted Pomp] exhibition has an inscription around the outer edge which reads: - THIS IS AMBRES BVCKELS SHOING HORN MADE BY ROBERT MINDVM ANNO DOMINI 1598. The shoehorn has feathers engraved at the top, a crown and rose in the middle and a shell pattern at the bottom. In this it is very similar to other designs by him.

Blog comment left by Matthew Winterbottom, 3 November 2012. http://www.holburne.org

Winterbottom: I am the Curator of Decorative Art at the Holburne Museum in Bath. You may like to know that we have the Mindum shoe horn made for Ambras Buckels in 1598. It was given to us by the Rev Hugh Nelson Ward in 1949. It will be included in our forthcoming show ‘Painted Pomp: Art and Fashion in Shakespeare’s England' 26 Jan – 6 May 2013.

The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans

Evans: a second was exhibited at the Society of Antiquaries in 1892; it bears the inscription... Like that of John Gibson it is engraved with a fleur-de-lis and a crowned medallion.

Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London, The Society, 1893. Vol 14, p215

Proceedings: ALBERT HARTSHORNE, Esq., F.S.A., exhibited a shoe-horn, carved by Robert Mindum in 1598, and an apple-scoop, made in 1656, on which he communicated the following remarks : " By the obliging courtesy of the Rev. Hugh Nelson Ward, I am enabled to lay before our Society an example of a

THIS IS AMBRES BVCKELLS SHOING HORNE MADE BY ROBART MINDVM ANNO DOMINI 1598

Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Buckels 1598 continued

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Notes shoehorn which, apart from its interesting decorative details, has special features that seem to make it worthy of notice. Formed of ox horn, the surface of the convex side is arranged in two principal panels, divided by a double scroll. In the lower one is a fleurde-lys, and in the upper a rosette surmounted by a crown. A minor space above is filled in with scaley work, and just beneath the hooked tip are the initials AP. Surrounding the panels is the following inscription : THIS IS|||AMBEES|||BVCKELS|||SHOING HORNE||| MADE BY|||ROBART|||MINDVM|||ANNO DOMINI ||| 1598 … Much of this description, to which my friend Mr. Syer Cuming has very kindly called my attention, is applicable to Mr. Nelson Ward's example, and it seems desirable to record another design from the hand of the humble shoe-horn artist of three centuries ago. Perhaps further works of this character from Mindum's hand may now be recognised. It may be noticed that the P of the initials at the top, instead of B, bears out to a certain extent the suggestion of a foreign origin made with regard to Mr. Kettle's shoe-horn [1604 Barvel]. Similarly in old Spanish the V and the B are interchangeable.

The Antiquary, Volume 27, 1893, p41

Wayne Robinson

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Antiquary: Mr. Hartshorne exhibited a shoe-horn carved by Robert Mindum, dated 1598, … ; Sir J. Evans exhibited a powder horn and two shoe-horns, also carved by Robert Mindum. 14

A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Buckels 1598 continued The Athenaeum, Issues 3375-3401 British Periodicals Limited, 1892 p882

Version 1.14 Notes Anthaneum: Mr. Hartshorne exhibited, and communicated a note descriptive of, a shoe-horn carved by Robert Mindum, dated 1598, ... Sir J. Evans exhibited a powder horn and two shoe-horns, also carved by Robert Mindum. Current location: Holburne Museum in Bath, UK May 2013

Christie, Mason & Woods Pty Ltd, sale NINI-3357, Thursday 24 April 1986 – Important European Sculpture and Works of Art. The collection of the late Sir Charles Clore Patrick Crawley Esq.

1599

Christie, Mason & Woods: Lot 55: A late 16th century English white oxhorn shoehorn by Robart Mindum. This is Anthonie Violets shoing ho / hands of Robart Mindvm 1599 (tip worn) 20cm long Shoe-horns by Mindum are known bearing dates between 1593 and 1612. £800-1,200

THIS IS Anthonie violets SHO… handes of ROBART MINDVM 1599

[If it follows the usual formula, the inscription will be; “This is Anthonie Violets shoing horn made by the handes of Robert Mindum 1599”] Current location: sold at Christie’s London in 1986 Royal Cornwall Museum Website, Decorative Arts page slideshow.

1599 This is Margyt marswells shoEinG horn [Made b]y the handes of robart mindvm 1599

Wayne Robinson

RCM: 22. Shoe Horn Carved horn made as a token of love, inscribed: This is Margyt Marswells shoeing horn (made by) the handes of Robart Mindum 1599. English, late 16th century Current Location: Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro (June 2016)

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans

1600

THIS IS MATTHEW WESTFEeLDES SHOOING HORNE MAD BY TH[e hand]ES OF ROBART MINDVM ANNO DOMINI 1600

Version 1.14 Notes Evans: The largest Mindum shoe-horn known to me dates from 1600. It is eleven inches long and bears the inscription... The ornament is of the same kind as on Richard Crab's horn, and includes the fleur-de-lis and crowned Tudor rose.

Treasures of the Royal Courts: Tudors, Stuarts and the Russian Tsars, VAM Exhibition, 9 March – 14 July 2013

Treasures Catalogue: Place of origin: England, Great Britain (made) London, England (possibly, made) Date: 1600 (made)

Shoehorn | Robert Mindum http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1261149/shoe horn-robert-mindum/ (dead link 23 March 2015)

Artist/Maker: Robert Mindum (maker) Materials and Techniques: Cow’s horn

Russian Language version is at http://www.vam.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/002 0/231815/Russian_label_text.pdf

Credit Line: Lent by the Museum of London Museum number: SHLN.33-2013 Gallery location: Temporary Exhibition, room 38, case WW1, shelf CA8 Dimensions Length: 280 mm, Width: 58 mm, Weight: 62.19 g Provenance: Given by Dame Joan Evans This shoe horn bears the name of the prolific maker Robert Mindum, whose work was decoratively engraved and inscribed. Nothing is known of Mindum’s life, but his shoehorns date from 1593 to 1623. [MoL have confirmed this is a typo for 1613. Private correspondence 6 June 2015] It is cut from a longitudinal slice of bovine horn. The outer surface is decorated with a fleur-de-lis, scales, scrolls and roundels and there is an inscription around the edge that reads: ‘THIS IS MATHEW WESTFELDES SHOOING HORNE MAD BY TH...ES OF ROBART MINDVM ANNO DOMINI 1600’.

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Westfelde 1600 continued

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Notes Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no) Sir John Evans, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, 2nd series, VII. (Record of a meeting held on 25 January 1877) Exhibition History Treasures of the Royal Courts: Tudors, Stuarts and the Russian Tsars (Victoria and Albert Museum) Labels and date Treasures of the Royal Courts: Tudors, Stuarts and the Russian Tsars Shoehorn 1600 Colourful shoes made of leather and embroidered textile were an essential attribute for the style conscious Elizabethan courtier, and shoehorns were therefore an important accessory. This elaborately decorated shoehorn is inscribed with the name of both its maker and its owner: ‘This is Mathew westfields shooing horne mad by … robart Mindum Anno Domini 1600’. England (possibly London) By Robert Mindum Cow’s horn Museum of London Subjects depicted: Scrolls; Roundels; Scales; Fleur de lis Collection code: MET

Exhibition of the Royal House of Tudor, The New Gallery, 1890. p197

Wayne Robinson

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Royal House: Case P – North Gallery. Relics of Queen Elizabeth &c. 981 Engraved Shoe Horn, 1600. By Robert Mindum. Lent by John Evans, Esq. 17

A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Westfelde 1600 continued The Athenaeum, No 2571, 3 Feb 1877, p160

Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Second Series, vol. vii. pp. 121-2 (25 Jan 1877)

Version 1.14 Notes Anthenaeum: John Evans displayed … Matthew Westfeeldes shooing home, made by the handes of Robart Mindum, anno Domini 1600.

Proceedings: JOHN EVANS, Esq. F.R.S. V.P. exhibited an engraved Shoeing-horn, accompanied by the following Note : "On April 19th, 1855, George Roots, Esq. F.S.A. exhibited to this Society a Shoe-horn of the latter part of the sixteenth century, which had been for many years in the possession of his family. It is described in our Proceedings * [footnote: Vol. iii. p. 179] as carved on the outer surface with various ornaments surrounded by the following inscription: THIS IS HAMLET RADESDALE SETTESON THE COVPAR OF LONDAN ANNO DOMINI 1593. SARVE GOD ROBART MINDVM MAD THIS. In the centre are the initials H R. I have this evening the pleasure of exhibiting another Shoehorn of a slightly more recent date, but the handiwork of the same maker. It is made from a white close-grained ox-horn, rather dark towards the tip, and is about 11½ inches long, and 2¼ wide at the base. The convex surface is skilfully engraved with an ornamental border, and the inscription THIS IS MATHEW WESTFEELDES SHOOING HORNE MADE BY THE HANDES OF ROBART MINDVM ANNO DOMINI 1600, running round the horn. In the centre is a succession of ornaments, including a fleur de lys, a rose of six leaves, and an arched crown. The narrow end of the horn is ornamented with lozengy, imbricated, and guilloche patterns; a part of the broad end has been broken or worn away, so that

Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Westfelde 1600 continued

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Personal correspondence, June 2015

Notes only a part of the words THE HANDES is visible. That this, however, is the correct reading is probable, from the inscription on another shoe-horn, also by the same maker, which is described in the Journal of the British Archaeological Association.* [footnote: Vol. xxiv. p. 73] This horn is of smaller size, but ornamented in the same manner with incised lines and dots filled in with a black substance. Its date is 1604, and the legend round the margin is THIS IS HVE BARVELS SHOOINGE HORNE MADE BY THE HANDES OF ROBART MINDVM. It is remarkable that the only three shoe-horns of English manufacture of the time of Elizabeth and James I., the existence of which I have been able to trace, are all the work of the same craftsman, Robert Mindum. Who and what he was I am unable to say. It has been suggested that his name may not improbably be Dutch, [footnote: Several engraved shoe-horns of Dutch workmanship are preserved in the Museum of Antiquities of the Netherlands at the Hague] but there appears no reason why it may not be a corruption of a local English name ending in ' ham,' and I believe that a place called Mindham is to be found in Sussex.

[Correspondence with the MoL in June 2015 has raised questions about the date of this item as one of their catalogues shows an incorrect date of 1609. The horn has been checked and is indeed 1600] Current location: Museum of London, item number 58.38/5, June 2015

Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Robinson, 2014

Version 1.14 Reference

Notes The decoration consists of a large fleur-di-lis above a knotwork band. Immediately below is a guilloche containing the year, an encircled flower with the petals picked out with red, another band of knotwork and a scale pattern at the base. Chip to left edge, delamination skilfully repaired with two iron rivets of some age. Some wear to end with minor loss of lettering. The letters EG branded into the back, possibly contemporary with the repair.

1600

Length 20 cm.

THIS IS FRANCIS HINSONS SHOING HORNE GYVEN BY MARGAREAT [Smit]H AND ELSABEATH SMITH AND MADE BY ROBART MINDVM 1600 ER

Wayne Robinson

Wayne Robinson, blog post on The Reverend’s Big Blog of Leather, May 6, 2014, This is Francis Hinson’s Shoing Horne…

Following on from the below blog comment, I had the opportunity to measure and photograph this horn in March 2014. Measurements are in the blog post, photographs are on Flikr.

Comment on earlier blog post http://leatherworkingreverend.wordpress.com/20 12/04/29/robert-mindum-catalogue-1593-1613/

Comment: The inscription says “this is Francis Hinsons shoe horn given by Margaret and Elizabeth Smith and made by Robert Mindum” Date is 1600 E R. Its 20 cm long.

Sophie Cope, Marking Design Part 2: Objects in the Sea of Time. (accessed 6 March 2014) Unmaking Things is an online creative platform, established in October 2011 by History of Design MA students at the Victoria and Albert Museum & Royal College of Art. The website was restarted in November 2012, and is now being relaunched, edited and run once again by a new cohort of second year students.

Cope: A series of some twenty shoehorns by the maker Robert Mindum are known from the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. They are all inscribed with the name of the owner, the year, and the name of Mindum himself. One example is inscribed, ‘This is Will’Yam S…[Of] Robart Mindum 1597’. Another bears the inscription ‘This is Francis Hinsons shoing horne gyven by Margareat and Elsabeath Smith and made by Robart Mindvm 1600 ER’. The reasoning behind the dates on these shoehorns is much more mysterious. It is possible

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Hinson 1600 continued

Version 1.14 Reference

Notes that they were given as gifts, like that from Margareat and Elsabeth Smith, and perhaps the date then marked some occasion. Yet by putting his own name on the shoe horns, Mindum makes a connection between himself, the owner, and the date, so it seems to go deeper than merely recording a birthday or anniversary. Current Location: Private collection (possibly a Hinson descendant) Melbourne, Australia. March 2014 Sold by Richard Gardner Antiques, 1Q 2016 to a UK collector

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Cheffins Fine Art Auction Sale F301116 Lot 516 30 November – 1 December 2016

RN Myers & Son Antiques

Version 1.14 Notes Cheffins: 'Art Mindum Anno Domini 1600', a horn shoehorn so inscribed on one side of an incised Tudor rose and fleur de lys with 'This Is Marke Barons Sho...' on the other 14cm (5.5 in) wide Estimate £100-200 (sold for £4,000) Myers: [I was notified of this one by an email from Simon Myers in North Yorkshire, it had come in to their possession from the personal collection of an antique dealer in London. I’ve since been able to backtrack to the sale by Cheffins (above). It looks like there is a good 25-30mm worn away from the end, the bottom halves of two encircled starbursts can still be seen. The design would have originally had a crown above the rose and possible some scrolls between the crown and the borders and inscription. Similar wear can be seen on several horns, notably 1612 [?]umer.

1600

This is Marke Barons shoin … art mindum anno domini 1600

If it follows the usual formula for the period, the inscription would have read: This is Marke Barons shoin horne made by the hands of Robart Mindum Anno Domini 1600. The diamond pattern on the lower panel has no parallel on Mindum’s other shoehorns, they do feature as a narrow band near the top of the 1601 Morris powder horn. Photographs supplied by and used with the kind permission of Simon Myers.]

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Barons 1600 continued Matthew Holder, European Works Of Art, Portobello Road London.

Version 1.14 Notes Holder: An extremely rare Elizabethan shoe horn, made by Robart Mindum, dated 1600. The shoe horn extensively engraved with a Tudor rose, a Fleur-delis, a spray of olive leaves flanked by small churches, a panel of cross hatching & lozenges all of which is bordered by the inscription: 'THIS IS MARKE BARONS SHOING HORN (MADE BY ROB)ART MINDUM ANNO DOMINI 1600'. The engraving retains its original black rubbed-in mastic, the end pierced for a cord. Until recently only 23 of these shoe horns were known to exist, this is the 24th. For a similar example sold at auction please see the Sothebys New York Sale; 'A CELEBRATION OF THE ENGLISH COUNTRY HOUSE, INCLUDING SILVER & CHINESE EXPORT PORCELAIN' on the 4-5th April 2007, lot 126: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/ 2007/a-celebration-of-the-english-country-houseincluding-silver-chinese-export-porcelainn08301/lot.126.html [Holder uses Twitter and Facebook to advertise current items, the image was taken down as soon as the lot was sold.] Current Location: Sold by Cheffins Sale F301116, Lot 516 on 30 November 2016 to Myers. RN Myers & Son Antiques, December 2016 Sold by Matthew Holder, 23 January 2017

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Merchant House Antiques website Ref: Mha / cs / sharples

Version 1.14 Notes Merchant House: Elizabethan shoe horn Extremely rare Elizabethan shoe horn English dating to 1603 Robart Mindvm , made this shoing horne for Benjamyn Gibson annodomini 1603 sarve God Ref: Mha / cs / sharples [Length 235mm, width 60mm, photographs supplied by and used with the kind permission of Christian Giltsoff from Merchant House Antiques]

1603

ROBART MINDUM MADE THIS SHOING HORNE FOR BENIAMYN GIBSON ANNO DOMINI 1603 SARVE GOD

Selling Antiques website http://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/412094/elizabet han-shoe-horn/ accessed 28 April 2017

ELIZABETHAN SHOE HORN Price £15,000 | $19,660 USD | €18,091 EUR Item Number: SA412094 Date of manufacture: Before 1700 Current Status: in stock Seller: Merchant House Antiques Description: Extremely rare Elizabethan shoe horn English dating to 1603 Robart Mindvm , made this shoing horne for Benjamyn Gibson annodomini 1603 sarve God If you are interested in viewing this piece please enquire first as I am selling it for a client and it is not kept at merchant house antiques Check out https://www.academia.edu/20393370/A_catalogue _of_shoehorns_made_by_Robert_Mindum_15931613 https://leatherworkingreverend.wordpress.com/cate gory/mindum-and-imitators/

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Gibson 1603 continued

Version 1.14 Reference

Notes for lots more info on these shoe horns Internal Ref: Mha / cs / sharples Dimensions Height = 22.86 cm (9") Width = 6.35 cm (3") Depth = 2.54 cm (1") Date of Manufacture This antique was produced in before 1700. Current Location: Private collection, April 2017

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans

1604

Notes Evans: In 1604 Mindum made a small shoe-horn, decorated with a rose and crown and fleur-de-lis for Hugh Barvel...

Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London, Second Series, vol. xiv, p216 (1893).

Proceedings s2 vol 14: three shoe-horns bearing dates 1593, 1600, and 1604, and inscriptions showing that they were made by one “Robart Mindum”.

Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Second Series, vol. vii. pp. 121-2 (1877)

Proceedings s2 vol 7: … another shoe-horn, also by the same maker, which is described in the Journal of the British Archaeological Association.* This horn is of smaller size, but ornamented in the same manner with incised lines and dots filled in with a black substance. Its date is 1604, and the legend round the margin is THIS IS HVE BARVELS SHOOINGE HORNE MADE BY THE HANDES OF ROBART MINDVM. [footnote: Vol. xxiv. p. 73.]

Journal of the British Archaeological Association, Volume XXIV, p73 (1868)

Journal: Mr. Kettle exhibited a very fine shoe-horn of the time of James I, seven inches and three-quarters in length, having its convex surface engraved with various subjects, the incised lines and dots being filled with a black substance. Among other devices appears a large rose and crown, bringing to mind the like figures on the little copper farthings of Charles I. There is also a bold fleur-de-lys, and beneath a knot, the date 1604. Upon the margin is inscribed — THIS . IS . HVE . BARVELS . SHOOING . HORNE. MADE. BY . THE . HANDES . OF . ROBART . MINDVM. The names of both artist and owner of this curious implement have a very German or Dutch look about them, but

THIS IS HVE BARVELS SHOOING HORNE MADE BY THE HANDES OF ROBART MINDVM 1604

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Barvells 1604

Version 1.14 Reference

Notes the language of the legend and Tudor badge are thoroughly English. For notice of shoe-horns, see Journal xviii, 375 Current Location: Unknown, possibly Museum of London

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Object ID: 18768397 Accession Number: 2011-31-1 http://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/187683 97/

1604

Typical curved tapered cylindrical shape, upcurved at both ends, with engraved and stained decoration featuring a fleur-de-lys over a band of guilloché above a stylized flower-foliage cluster and arched pattern all surrounded by the inscription "Robert Mindum made this shooing...(worn at top) s Gamlet Anno domini 1604". This shoe horn is horn. Its dimensions are: L x W x D: 18.4 x 5.4 x 2.5 cm (7 1/4 x 2 1/8 x 1 in.). It is inscribed Decoration surrounded by inscription: "ROBERT MINDUM MADE THIS SHOOING...(worn at top) S GAMLET ANNO DOMINI 1604".

Robart mindvm made this shooing [missing] s gamlet anno domini 1604

This shoe horn is from United Kingdom and dated 1604. Gift of Barbara Munves. Its provenance is Early 1960s: purchased by Barbara Munves' husband (English antiques shop); 2011: acquired by the Museum (Gift) We acquired this object in 2011. Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2Ecc4/ Accession Number 2011-31-1 Object ID 18768397 Current location: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York, USA, confirmed January 2017

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Second Series, vol. vii. pp. 121-2 (1877)

Notes and Queries 11th Series. Volume V. JanuaryJune 1912. No 6, January 6, 1912, p8

1605

ROBART MINDUM MADE THIS SHOOINGHORN FOR BRIDGET DEARSLEY 1605

Version 1.14 Notes Proceedings s2 vol 7: Another, in the Saffron Walden Museum, is inscribed round the edge, "Robart Mindum made this shooing-horn for Bridget Dearsley, 1605." The decorations are carried out in dots and incised lines, into which some dark substance has been worked. The crowned Tudor rose is the principal ornament employed in the last specimen.

Notes: DECORATED SHOE-HORNS BY R. MINDUM. In the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Second Series, vol. vii. pp. 121-2 (1877), Sir John Evans publishes notes on three shoe-horns bearing dates 1593, 1600, and 1604, and inscriptions showing that they were made by one "Robart Mindum." Another, in the Saffron Walden Museum, is inscribed round the edge, "Robart Mindum made this shooinghorn for Bridget Dearsley, 1605." The decorations are carried out in dots and incised lines, into which some dark substance has been worked. The crowned Tudor rose is the principal ornament employed in the last specimen. Who or what Robart Mindum may have been was not known to Sir J. Evans, who states that the above three were the only decorated specimens of the period which he had been able to trace. I should be glad to know if any light has been cast on the matter since 1877, and also to hear of any other signed or dated specimens of English make. GUY MAYNARD.

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Dearsley 1605 continued The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans

Version 1.14 Notes Evans: ...and in the following year [1605] one now in the Saffron Walden Museum, with the usual scale work and scroll bands and crowned rose. ... Its ornament is almost identical to the latest Mindum piece known to me which is dated 1612.

Personal correspondence with Saffron Walden Museum, 9 November 2014

We do indeed have the shoe horn in the collection though we do not have an online image that could be used as a link as per your request… For your reference, our accession number for the shoe horn is 1892.93

Saffron Walden website Social and Local History collections page

Bone shoehorn, made in 1605. The shoehorn has a decorative scratched design with the inscription ‘Robert Mindum made this shoeing horn for Bridget Dearsley 1605’. (Current location: storage)

Delving into the collections, blog post about a short talk given to the Saffron Walden Museum Society’s AGM on 26 August, 2016 by Leah Mellors, Collections Officer (Human History)

Mellors: Robert Mindum shoehorn This shoehorn (pictured above) is one of my favourite objects in the collection and the object that inspired me to create the Object of the Month scheme. It was made by an English craftsman called Robert Mindum, who was making shoehorns between 1593 and 1613. Our shoehorn dates from 1605. It is made from animal horn and it has a decorative design, created with incised lines and dots, which includes the Tudor rose and crown. There is an inscription around the edge, which reads “Robert Mindum made this shoeing horn for Bridget Dearsley 1605”. ... All of the shoehorns feature an inscription, with the name of a person and the date, which suggests

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Dearsley 1605 continued

Version 1.14 Reference

Notes that they may have been made as gifts. Shoehorns were common gifts in the late 1500s and early 1600s, as the popularity of soft, flexible leather shoes rose. Current location: Saffron Walden Museum, UK in December 2016

Horniman Museum and Gardens, object 1848 http://www.horniman.ac.uk/object/1848

1605

Horniman: Shoe horn with intricately carved decoration including a Tudor rose and a crown, as well as an inscription around the edge, reading 'ROBART MINDUM MADE THIS SHOOING HORN FOR HEILLERRY FORBY ANNODOMINI 1605'. overall: 198 mm x 49 mm x 45 mm Provenance vendor: Anderson, J Corbet sale 1898 Record last updated 2016-09-23 by XGVIEWS

Robart Mindum Made this Shooing Horn for Heillerry forby Anno Domini 1605

Wayne Robinson

Current location: Horniman Museum, UK in December 2016

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Museum of Design in Plastics Object Number WCHL : 8

Version 1.14 Notes A 17th century shoe horn engraved with floral and geometric designs, including the Tudor rose crowned, bearing the legend 'Robart Mindum made this shooing horne for Ricard Gibon anno Domini 1612 . This natural plastic item forms part of the Worshipful Company of Horners collection.

Royal Society of Arts Journal volume 141 (Great Britain) - 1993. p173

RSA Journal: ... a particularly impressive engraved shoehorn by Robert Mindum dated 1612; ... Owned by the Horners' Company

Brandon, S., Buttonhooks and Shoehorns, Shire Library, 1984

Brandon: [caption to photos on p11] Robart Mindum shoehorns of white ox-horn, inscribed and dated. … Bottom: Robart Mindum made this shooing horne for Richard Gibon Anno Domini 1612'. Length 220mm.

Schaverin, A., Horn: its history and uses, Privately published, 2006

Schaverin: The first example shown in fig. 83a is inscribed … and it belongs to the Worshipful Company of Horners

1612

ROBART MINDUM MADE THIS SHOOING HORNE FOR RICARD GIBON ANNO DOMINI 1612

Current location: Museum of Design in Plastics, Bournemouth in June 2016

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Booth, G., Rushbrook Parish Registers, 1567 to 1850: With Jermyn and Davers Annals, Rushbrook, Eng. (Parish), Sydenham Henry Augustus Hervey, 1903. p416

Cora Ginsberg Gallery Catalogue 2010 http://coraginsburg.com/catalogues/2010/cat2010 pg6-7.htm

1612

ROBART MINDUM MADE THIS SHOOING HORNE FOR MISTRIS BLAKE ANNO DOMINI 1612

Wayne Robinson

Updated Friday, 28 April 2017

Version 1.14 Notes Rushbrook: There is a shoe-horn made out of a cow's horn and with this inscription very neatly cut; ROBART MINDUM MADE THIS SHOOING HORNE FOR MISTRIS BLAKE ANNO DOMINI 1612. Who Mistris Blake was I know not. Ginsberg: Scholars have identified a singularly important and rare group of decorated and inscribed late-sixteenth- and early-seventeenth-century shoe horns by an elusive English craftsman named Robart Mindum. This fine early Jacobean “shooing horn” belongs to this significant body of work. Including this example, as few as fifteen engraved shoe horns signed and dated by Mindum between 1593 and 1613 survive... Mindum's shoe horns have certain features in common: all have inscriptions set within thin hatched or geometric borders around the upper contour of the horn, and the decorative motifs are recurrent in variant combinations. Stylized trees, checkerboard patterns, twisted ropes, and rosettes appear consistently. Here, the dedication, carved in capital letters with tiny serif flourishes, reads: Robart Mindum Made This Shooing Horne For Mistris Blake Anno Domini 1612. This inscription delineates a tongue-shaped field containing a large rosette supported by scrolls and a pylon, an impressive Tudor rose surmounted by a crown with cross-tipped points, small figure-eight scrolls, and quatrefoil motifs. Three bands of patterning—diminutive flowerheads, imbricated scales and guilloche, all hallmarks of Mindum's decorative vocabulary— appear in registers below. Mastic or some similarly dark pigment heightens the delicately hatched and stippled engraving, contrasting with the creamy, 32

A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Blake 1612 continued

Version 1.14 Reference

Notes patinated horn. In an age of highly embellished clothing and accessories, the level of ornamentation seen on this remarkable shoe horn is not surprising, nor is it coincidental that the carving has the appearance of blackwork embroidery. Mindum's repertoire bears striking resemblance to some of the designs found in Thomas Trevelyon's Miscellany of 1608, an invaluable resource for needleworkers and other artisans alike. Provenance: Rushbrooke Hall, Suffolk, home to the Jermyn family since the sixteenth century. ... This shoe horn was noted in an inventory of furniture in the Rushbrook [sic] Parish Registers 1567 to 1850 (1903), p. 416.

Rowley's Fine Art Auctions. Sale 22 July 2010 http://www.rowleyfineart.com http://www.cataloguehost.co.uk/rowley/newmarket/2010-07-22/lot_38

Rowleys: A rare early 17th century engraved horn shoehorn One side inscribed to the rim Robart Mindum made this shooing horne for Mistriss Blake Anno Domino 1612, the centre decorated with crown and Tudor rose above scrolls and imbricated panel, the reverse with collection number. 22.5 cms long.

Eely People, Sunday, August 01, 2010, 18:39 http://www.elypeople.co.uk/news/17th-CenturyShoe-Horn-fetches-pound-8-800-Fine/story6139507-detail/story.html [dead link 11 Oct 2015]

Eely: The shoe horn was made for a Mistress Blake in 1612 by a known maker called Robert Mindum who beautifully inscribed it with a Tudor Rose design, apparently it was made just a few years after the death of Queen Elizabeth I. ... There are a few other examples of Mindum’s work, most of which were made for men and are either in museums or private collections, this one came from a private home in East Anglia.

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference Blake 1612 continued Antiques Trade Gazette, 09 Aug 2010 Written by ATG Reporter https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/201 0/brought-to-heel-for-8800/

Version 1.14 Notes ATG: Brought to heel for £8800 EXCITING plenty of bidding against its £500-800 estimate at Ely-based saleroom Rowley's was this rare 9in (22.5cm) early 17th century engraved horn shoehorn. The sale at Tattersalls, Newmark on July 22, which was specially added to the auctioneer's calendar, featured many lots that once furnished Rushbrooke Hall, a Suffolk country house demolished in 1961. In addition to a crown and a Tudor rose, the shoehorn was inscribed to the rim Robart Mindum made this shooing horne for Mistriss Blake Anno Domino 1612. It sold for £8800 (plus 20.56% buyer's premium). Current location: sold by Rowley’s Auctions in 2010 to a non-UK buyer

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Reference The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans

Version 1.14 Notes Evans: Unfortunately most of the owner's name has been worn away; it seems to have ended in VMER and may well have been Plumer. Current location: Museum of London, item number 58.38/7, June 2015

1612

ROBART MINDUM MADE THIS S[hooing horn for …]VMER anno domini 1612

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription

1613

Version 1.14 Reference

Notes [I like to think that this might be Miss Jane Ayres' third one, based entirely on supposition. Schaverin concurs. This and the 1593 one are really outstanding even when compared with his other work. I’ve disputed the technique described below in my Mindum’s Shoehorns – a Study of Method from 29 August 2013.]

Schaverin, A., Horn: its history and uses, Privately published, 2006

He was married to Jane Ayres, as the dedication declares on one shoehorn made by him and dated 1623. [See Problems with the Sources, below.]

Agecroft Hall blog Secrets from the Curator’s Closet http://curatorscloset.blogspot.com/2010/08/horn. html accessed September 15, 2010 but sadly, no longer available.

…this one is not only rare, but unique. It was created by the English shoemaker and horner Robert Mindum who, between 1593 and 1613, made and engraved shoehorns. Some researchers have speculated that many of the extant examples could have been given to good customers as an incentive. Beats getting a ‘free’ pen and a ‘rewards card’…

ROBART MINDVM MADE THIS SHOOING HORNE FOR JANE HIS WIFE ANNO DOMINI 1613

The horner’s work was far from pleasant since the raw horn gave off noxious odors during the soaking and softening process. After this, it was subjected to fire, flattened into sheets, and polished using a pumice and chamois before being engraved. Agecroft’s example was a more personal gift - Robert Mindum made this shooing horne for… jane his wife, Anno Domini, 1613. I can think of less time consuming ways to apologize to the wife, although nipping into Sainsbury’s for a box of chocolates and a magnum of champagne wasn’t really an option in Jacobean London. The decorative devices, though very similar to those found on Mindum’s other horns, have been executed exceedingly well… Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Jane Mindum 1613 continued

Version 1.14 Reference

[Note that the manufacture description given above is the industrial process of the mid-19th through to the early 20th century. Much of the equipment mentioned didn’t exist in Mindum’s time and Mindum’s level of finish is not consistent with this process. I’ve also raised a query about the source for the Mastery claim and the location of his shop.]

Agecroft Hall, Object of the Month, Nov 2014 Original text accessed 7 March 2015 http://www.agecrofthall.com/View.aspx?page=visi t/collections/objectofthemonth/objectofthemonth 102014

Wayne Robinson

Notes

Updated Friday, 28 April 2017

Shoe Horn, 1613 (AH1985.0007) Robart Mindum, England The shoe horn by Robart Mindum is engraved with a variety of floral and geometric stylized motifs. Located at the wider end of the shoe horn is a Tudor rose surmounted by a crown. Beneath the Tudor rose is a second, smaller round flower inside a circular band containing diamond shapes with tiny centralized dots. A band of the same diamond decorated motif separates the lower half showing a stylized tree with large symmetrical leaves. Another diamond band crosses beneath this tree. The narrow portion contains two swirling geometric patterns and scales. Made of ox horn, vertical bands on either side of the design are inscribed: ROBART MINDVM [sic] MADE THIS SHOOING HORNE FOR...IANE [sic] HIS WIFE ANNO DOMINI 1613. The significance of the Tudor rose—located at the wider end of the shoe horn, capped by a crown— illustrates the union of the houses of York and Lancaster by the marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV. This was represented by linking the red rose of Lancaster to the white rose of York—symbolizing unity, peace, and allegiance to the crown. This was exhibited in 37

A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Jane Mindum 1613 continued

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Notes several ways, but most preferred by the Tudor monarchs was a white rose in the center of a red rose, usually with the royal crown above the rose. Mindum, active 1593-1613, was one of the earliest of twenty-four Master horners working in London, Sheffield, and York in the late 16th and early 17th century. His shop was located over the Royal Exchange in London. In addition to shoe horns, Mindum used horn to make powder flasks as well. His earliest known work dates from 1593. Shoe horns became necessities curing the renaissance due to the rise in popularity of soft backed, flexible shoes. A number of Mindum’s shoe horns have come to light and each is dedicated to a single person and inscribed with a year. Research by Joan Evan suggests that because his crafts contain both the maker’s and owner’s name, he was an amateur horner making them for friends; incidentally, Agecroft's horn was made in 1613 for Mindum's wife, Jane. The horner's work was unpleasant because of the stench from the horn. The ox horn is cut in half along its natural curve by a band saw. The process of carving these objects involved soaking and softening the horn, before firing it. As the horn became more malleable, it could be flattened into sheets. Once it is heated until pliable over a flame it is set in a mold and pressed in a vice to cool. The horner then smoothes off rough edges, washes, and improves the shape. Then it goes through three stages of polishing. The finished object was polished with pumice, a chamois, and finally the hand. The variety

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Jane Mindum 1613 continued

Version 1.14 Reference

Notes of objects made from horn included boxes, horn books, lantern leaves, spoons, and shoe horns. References: The Burlington Magazine for Connosieurs, Vol. 85, No. 500 (Nov., 1944), pp. 282-284. Brooke-Little, J. P. Royal Heraldry: Beasts and Badges of Britain. Hardwick, Paula. Discovering Horn. Southampton: The Camelot Press Ltd. 1981. Kurz, Otto. "A Model for Bandinelli's Statue of Cosimo I." The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs (1944): 280-283. Prepared by Josh Kline, Assistant Curator.

Updated text, accessed 2 November 2015

This shoe horn, about nine inches long, was engraved by Robert Mindum in 1613. Inscribed along the outer edge ‘ROBART MINDVM [sic] MADE THIS SHOOING HORNE FOR…IANE [sic] HIS WIFE ANNODOMINI 1613,’ the piece is also etched with a variety of stylized floral and geometric designs: a Tudor rose topped with a crown, a small, round flower encased in a circular band containing diamond shapes, and a stylized tree with large, symmetrical leaves. The narrow end of the horn contains swirling geometric patterns and scales. Shoe horns were often times given as a gift and became necessities during the Renaissance due to the rise in popularity of soft backed, flexible shoes. There are twenty-one known Mindum shoe horns and each is dedicated to a single person and

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Year Inscription Jane Mindum 1613 continued

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Notes inscribed with a year; obviously, these were intended as gifts. Not much is known about Mindum and there is no written record of him ever being a member of the Worshipful Company of Horners. One did not need to be a horner to craft intricately decorated shoe horns such as these—one just needed to know how to carve and work with a material that had a grain, such as a wood. It is likely that Mindum bought his shoe horns, carved from the inner curved edge of a cow’s horn, pre-made from a horner guild member, and then designed and engraved the horns with elements he may have chosen from design books (1). Mindum was active from 1593 to 1613 and used different symbols and images throughout his work. One of his common designs, which can be found on Agecroft’s ‘shooing horne,’ is the crowned Tudor rose. Illustrating the union of the houses of York and Lancaster through the marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, the image is the linking of two roses, underneath a crown. Wayne Robinson, a Mindum scholar, points out that Mindum continues to use the crowned Tudor rose even after the death of Elizabeth I, signifying the end of the Tudor period, through part of the reign of King James I, the beginning of the Stuart era (2). The other design elements on the Agecroft’s horn were very likely chosen for both aesthetic appeal and ability to fill the space. Or perhaps his customers chose the design. Mindum’s twenty-one known shoe horns (and one known gun powder flask) seem to raise more questions than answers. If he was not a member of the horner’s guild, then what did he do? Why did he

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Jane Mindum continued

Notes only create twenty-two horn pieces in two decades? Did he also create unsigned pieces? His shoe horns can be found in private collections and museums throughout the United Kingdom, a museum collection in Canada, one in Washington, DC, and one at a small historic house museum in Richmond, VA—Agecroft Hall. Sources: (1) Robinson, Wayne. “Mindum’s Shoehorns—a study of method.” The Reverend’s Big Blog of Leather. 29 August 2013. Web. 30 April 2015. (2) Robinson, Wayne. “This is Francis Hinson’s Shoing Horne…” The Reverend’s Big Blog of Leather. 6 May 2014. Web. 30 April 2015. The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs. Vol. 85, No. 500 (Nov., 1944), pp. 282-284 Brooke-Little, J.P. Royal Heraldry: Beasts and Badges of Britain. Hardwick, Paula. Discovering Horn. Southampton: The Camelot Press, Ltd. 1981. Prepared by Libby Howlett, Manager of Collections, with research assistance from Josh Kline. Current location: Agecroft Hall, Richmond, Virginia, USA in March 2015

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Count of confirmed different horns by year Changes since the previous version are shown in blue. From version 1.2 of this catalogue and onwards, I've been able to securely identify all shoe horns described to ensure there is no double counting. If any ambiguity arises in the future, I'll note it under the individual horn listing and add a note here to say that one hasn't been counted. Year

Count

1593 1594 1595 1596 1597 1598 1599 1600 1603 1604 1605 1612 1613 Total

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Powder Horn The link on the year will take you to an image of the powder horn. Italic notes are quotes from the references, notes within brackets are my commentary. Year

Inscription

1601

Reference

Notes

The Burlington Magazine, November 1944, ‘Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum’, Joan Evans

Evans: the only known powder horn of Mindum's workmanship is dated 1601

Exhibition of the royal house of Tudor, The New Gallery, 1890. p197

Exhibition: 982 Engraved Powder Horn, 1600. By Robert Mindum. Lent by John Evans, Esq.

Great Fire of London Exhibition, Museum of London, 2006

MoL: Powderhorn. Made for William Morris, 1601.

Schaverin, A., Horn: its history and uses, Privately published, 2006

Schaverin p107: Only one powder horn is known to be made by him and is illustrated in figs 84 and 85. It bears the legend ‘Robart Mindvm Made This Povder Horne for Willyam Morris 1601’ and is engraved with geometric and floral motifs. Perhaps it is the only one he created. MoL, Early Stuart Gallery, D40, No 135, L. 23cm.

ROBART MINDVM MADE THIS POVDER HORNE FOR WYLLYAM MORRIS 1601

Schaverin, p196: There is one unique powder horn decorated by Robert Mindum who lived and worked in London between 1593 and 1612 and is best known for the distinctive style of his engraved shoehorns. Since a number have survived and are sought after by collectors, this powder horn is believed to be the only one he engraved (as discussed earlier in Chapter 11 (Figs 84 and 85)). He always inscribed his work to the original owner and the central cartouche on this

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Notes flask bears the inscription: Robart Mindvm made this povder horn for Willyam Morris 1601”. Current Location: Museum of London, item number 58.38/6, June 2015

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Other makers Joan Evans mentions that she had heard of another shoehorn similar to Mindum's work in the British Museum but was unable in 1944 to find it. From the stylistic similarities and acquisition history, I believe the horn in question to be the 18th century horn made by Thomas Gen (Museum number 1889,0930.5) in an obvious copy of Mindum's style. But the existence of a Mindum shoehorn in 1907 is confirmed in the quote from the Trustees of the British Museum in the Honourable Mentions section below. Paula Hardwick states "York Castle Museum has a shoe horn very similar to the type illustrated, but lacks the more usual addition of Mindum’s name. In each case the graving follows both floral and geometric designs with the lettering clearly defined and spaced". The only shoehorn of this period York Castle Museum has been able to find in their collection now looks like an amateur-hour version of Mindum's work at best. Brandon pictures (p10) a shoehorn similar to the York Castle Museum shoe horn, and notes "Cattle horn shoehorn (length 190mm), dated 1611, and hooked and pierced for suspension. This shoehorn was reputed to have been through the Battle of Waterloo." Picture credit is Northampton Museum.

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Honourable Mentions General mentions of Mindum’s opus without reference to specific shoehorns. “It is remarkable that the only three shoe-horns of English manufacture of the time of Elizabeth and James I., the existence of which I have been able to trace, are all the work of the same craftsman, Robert Mindum. Who and what he was I am unable to say. It has been suggested that his name may not improbably be Dutch, f but there appears no reason why it may not be a corruption of a local English name ending in ' ham,' and I believe that a place called Mindham is to be found in Sussex. Though Mindum's appear to be the only ornamental English shoe-horns of the sixteenth century which are known, a remarkably fine one, bearing the date 1595, engraved with the figures of Faith, Hope, and Charity, was procured by Lord Boston from a sale of the effects belonging to a convent in Brussels, and is engraved in the Journal of the British Archaeological Association.* [footnote: Vol. xviii. p. 375, pi. xv.] Appended to the description of this horn are some remarks by Mr. Syer Cuming, illustrative of the common use of these articles in the sixteenth century, the word shoeing-horn being constantly used in a metaphorical sense by the dramatists of the period.” Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Second Series, vol. vii. pp. 121-2 (1877)

“SHOE-HORNS. These objects do not seem to have been used before the sixteenth century, to which the earliest literary references and actual shoehorns belong. Some of the examples of the period of Elizabeth and James I are richly engraved with ornament and figure-subjects. The best of these date from about 1600, and the English examples are usually signed by Robert Mindum. An engraved shoe-horn is exhibited in Table-Case B.” Trustees of the British Museum (1907) p248 This seems to confirm the existence of a Mindum shoe horn in the British Museum in 1907. "Many of the things sold reminded me of the stories he told as to how they came in to his possession. There were six shoe-horns, all made by one Robert Mindum, bearing dates from 1594 to 1612. Each of these had its separate tale." Colour, Volume 5 (1916) p34, regarding Sotherby's sale of the collection of Mr Robert Drane of Cardiff. "The name of Robert Mindum is particularly associated with this [engraved] form of decoration, and a fine series of shoehorns engraved by him with the names of their various owners is now in the possession of Dr. Joan Evans." Martin Rivington Holmes, The London of Elizabeth I, London Museum, 1958, p31 "Shoehorns were always useful, and were sometimes elaborately engraved, notably by an artist named Robert Mindum, many of whose signed examples are still extant in a private collection…" Martin Rivington Holmes, Elizabethan London, Cassell, (1969), p44

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Version 1.14 “Robart Mindum was a maker of highly decorated shoehorns in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth. Examples of his work are easily recognised by the elaborate floral and geometric designs and the date and lettering on all his shoehorns. They were originally stained to contrast with the white ox-horn.” Brandon (1984), p11. [Note 7] “Very little is known of Robert Hendaert Mindum. A small number of his shoe horns survive and have dates on them from 1593 to 1614. The Museum of London have several examples and a powder horn. One source suggested he had a shop at the Royal Exchange. Dr Ann Saunders checked her records without success; neither the Homers’, Cordwainers’ or the Stationers’ Company have any record of his name and no evidence has come to light to confirm what his occupation was. If any details are discovered, the author would be most grateful for a lead on this fascinating character. [Note 8] “Robert Mindum’s work is distinctive, he favoured geometric roundels, roses, and a stylized tree, and scale pattern, set within scrolls. Hatching, and minute dots lend depth and texture, all worked on creamy horns.” Schaverien, Folk Life, p82 “His family name, Robert Hendaert Mindum, indicates Low Countries origins. He was married to Jane Ayres, as the dedication declares on the shoehorn made by him and dated 1623… The execution of Mindum’s work is not that of a master engraver. The choice of subject and the execution is painstaking, deliberate and mechanical … Despite efforts to discover more about the man who produced such individual work, Mindum has so far eluded all attempts to discover where he may have lived or worked in London.” Schaverien, Horn, pp106-7 I’m not aware of any 1623 shoehorns by Mindum, the description makes it sound like the 1613 “Jane his wife” one. See below for more discussion on Schaverien’s history.

In Richardson et al. (2016) Sophie Cope presents an object study on the Gibon 1612 shoehorn (starting on page 228). It contains a reworking of her Marking Design Part 2: Objects in the Sea of Time (which used my May 2014 work on the Hinson 1600 shoehorn) with a new section on the identities of Gibon and Mindum, coming to the conclusion that Mindum was involved in making woodcut blocks (see my similar analysis from August 2013). )

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Problems with the Sources Hardwick The problem with Hardwick (other than the York Castle Museum shoehorn claim) is that she seems to be talking about a complex, modern process and attributing it to Mindum working in the Stuart period. “The ox horn is cut in half along its natural curve by a band saw. The process of carving these objects involved soaking and softening the horn, before firing it. As the horn became more malleable, it could be flattened into sheets. Once it is heated until pliable over a flame it is set in a mold and pressed in a vice to cool.” A description of the same process appears in MacGregor (p64), but he makes it clear that it’s the process in use by one of the last horners making flat plates for horn spoons and other pressed work in 1920. A functional bandsaw blade that would cut horn wasn’t invented until 1856, and dry heat doesn’t appear to have been used on horn until at least 1800 (Schaverien). What becomes apparent from handling any of Mindum’s shoehorns is that the natural curves of the horn are largely retained and the only pressing is on the turnedback hook on those that have them.

Schaverien While Schaverien’s horn work is outstanding, her Mindum history is particularly ordinary. There are a number of obvious errors in simple things like the transcriptions of dates and the horn inscriptions. For example, the inscription on the 1601 Morris Powder Horn is transcribed differently on pages 108 and 196 with ‘u’ used on one page and ‘v’ on the other. No notes or references are provided for the section on Mindum’s shoehorns (pp 106-8), although from an essay on the Horners’ Company collection (The Horners' -Company Collection of Horn, Folk Life Vol. 36, Issue 1, 1997 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/043087797798238189) we discover that she had travelled to view collections while preparing this book so we know she did see at least some of them. Attempts to contact her for clarification of sources have been fruitless, but I’m left feeling that her link between Jane Ayres and Jane Mindum, like mine, are wishful thinking. Her assertion of a 1623 horn with an identical dedication to the 1613 Jane his Wife shoehorn seems to be a simple typo. In the section on powder horns (p196), she claims Mindum lived and worked in London from 1593 and 1612, again without presenting evidence for the residence or the span of work. She obviously doesn’t like Mindum’s work, describing it as “… not that of a master engraver” and “painstaking, deliberate and mechanical”.

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Version 1.14 The notes form the Folk Life essay say that Mindum worked to 1614. I can’t place any from that year, but I sometimes wonder if I’m just redoing work here that she had previously done and left unpublished. Every time a new shoe horn comes up, it feels as if Shaverien has already seen it.

Bata I also wonder if Schaverien was involved in in Bata’s All about shoes (1994) due to the interpolation of the middle name in the caption for the 1595 Robart Go To Bed shoehorn. It shows an awareness of the 1596 Mindum shoehorn as his middle name had only once previously been published in Sotherby's 1978 Catalogue of English Furniture, Works of Art, and Oriental Rugs and Carpets. I’ve enquired, but the information isn’t on the object record at the Bata Museum.

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Bibliography Books, Catalogues and Journals Athenaeum, The, British Periodicals Limited, 1892. Issues 3375-3401 reprint by Nabu Press, 2012 ISBN 1275986846. Bata Industries., All about shoes : footwear through the ages. Toronto : Bata Ltd., 1994. Booth, G., Rushbrook Parish Registers, 1567 to 1850: With Jermyn and Davers Annals, Rushbrook, England (Parish), 1903. Brandon, S., Buttonhooks and Shoehorns, Shire Publications, Princes Risborough, Bucks., United Kingdom, 1984. British Archaeological Association, The, Journal of the British Archaeological Association, Volume XXIV, 1868, T Richards, Great Queen Street, London. Cheffins, The Fine Art Sale, 30 November and 1 December 2016, Cambridge. Christies Limited, Sale 5767 — Oak, Country Furniture, Folk Art, Works of Art and Sculpture Catalogue, 12 July 2005, London, South Kensington. Christies Limited, Sale NINI-3357 — Important European Sculpture and Works of Art, Thursday 24 April, 1986, London, South Kensington. Colour, Volume 5, William Dawson and sons, 1916, London. Connoisseur, The: an Illustrated Magazine for Collectors, Volume 194. Sampson Low, Marston & Co., 1977. Cora Ginsberg LLC, A Catalogue of exquisite & rare works of art including 17th to 20th century costumes, textiles & needlework –Winter 2010-2011 http://coraginsburg.com/catalogues/2010/cat2010pg6-7.htm, accessed 4 April 2012. Country Life, Volume 153, 1973. Cox, William R., The Antiquary, Volume 27, January – June 1893, London, Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row. Eely People, Sunday August 01, 2010, 18:39, 17th Century Shoe Horn fetches £8,800 at Fine Art Auction, http://www.elypeople.co.uk/news/17th-Century-ShoeHorn-fetches-pound-8-800-Fine/story-6139507-detail/story.html, accessed 4 April 2012 Evans, Joan, Shoe Horns and a Powder Flask by Robert Mindum, The Burlington Magazine, November 1944 GetWestLondon, 6 November 2015, Rare Elizabethan shoe horn expected to fetch £6,000 at auction. http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-londonnews/rare-elizabethan-shoe-horn-expected-10392704, accessed 24 May, 2016. Grueber , Herbert Appold, England New Gallery, Exhibition of the Royal House of Tudor, The New Gallery, Regent Street, London, 1890. Grant, H., The Sale Prices: An Annual Report of Sales by Auction, of ... Objects of Artistic and Antiquarian Interest (exclusive of Books)., Volume 2, Parts 1-3, 1897 Hardwick, Paula, Discovering Horn, Lutterworth Press; First Edition edition, 1981. Wayne Robinson

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Hervey, Sydenham Henry Augustus, Rushbrook, Eng. (Parish), 1903.

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Holmes, Martin Rivington, The London of Elizabeth I, London Museum, 1958. Holmes, Martin Rivington, Elizabethan London, Cassell, (1969). MacGregor, A, Bone, Antler, Ivory & Horn: The Technology of Skeletal Materials Since the Roman Period, Croom Helm, 1985. Matthew Barton Limited, Decorative Works of Art, Tuesday 24th November 2015, Salename MB241115, accessed 5 November 2015. Notes and Queries: A Medium of Intercommunication for Literary Men, General Readers, etc. Francis & Francis, Tenth Series, Volume 8, July-December 1907. No 191, August 24, 1907, London, 1907. Francis & Francis, Eleventh Series, Volume 5, January-June 1912. No 6, January 6, 1912, London, 1912. White, William, Twelfth Series, Volume 6, January-June 1920. No 107, May 1, 1920, Oxford University Press, London, 1924. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, First Series, (1856) Thursday, April 19th, 1855. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London, 3(43), pp. 178–180. doi: 10.1017/S0950797300019673. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Second Series, (1878). Thursday, January 25th, 1877. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London (Second Series), 7, pp 119–132. doi:10.1017/S0950797300010982. (1893). Thursday, November 24th, 1892. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London (Second Series), 14, pp 209–224. doi:10.1017/S0950797300004236. Richardson, Hamling, Gaimster, eds., The Routledge Handbook of Material Culture in Early Modern Europe, Routledge, 2016. Royal Society of Arts. Royal Society of Arts Journal,Volume 141 (Great Britain) - 1993. London: Royal Society of Arts. Rowley's Fine Art Auctions, Fine Arts and Antiques Sale Catalogue, 22 July 2010. Schaverien, A., Horn: its history and uses, Privately published, Wahroonga, NSW, Australia, 2006 ISBN 064646302. Schaverien, A., The Horners' Company Collection of Horn, in Folk Life Vol. 36, Issue 1, 1997 Sotheby’s, Celebration of the English Country House, New York, 2007. Sotheby’s , Catalogue of English Furniture, Works of Art, and Oriental Rugs and Carpets. London, Friday, 21st April 1978. Trease, Geoffrey, London – A Concise History Thames & Hudson 1975. Trustees of the British Museum, A Guide to the Mediaeval Room and to the Specimens of Mediaeval and Later Times in the Gold Ornament Room, OUP, 1907.

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Websites Agecroft Hall, Secrets from the Curator’s Closet http://curatorscloset.blogspot.com/2010/08/horn.html, accessed September 15, 2010 [dead link Mar 2011] Agecroft Hall, Object of the Month, November 2014 http://www.agecrofthall.com/View.aspx?page=visit/collections/objectofthemonth/objectofthemonth102014 Antiques Trade Gazette, 09 August 2010, https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/2010/brought-to-heel-for-8800/ British Museum Online Collection, Shoehorn, Museum Number 1889,0930.5 http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=33024&partId=1&searchText=1889,0930.5&people=40853&pa ge=1 Cheffins, http://www.cheffins.co.uk/auctions/fine-art accessed 28 April 2017 Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum http://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18768397/ accessed 17 July 2014 Cope, Sophie, Marking Design Part 2: Objects in the Sea of Time. Unmaking Things, Victoria and Albert Museum & Royal College of Art, accessed 6 March 2014 Horniman Museum and Gardens, object 1848, http://www.horniman.ac.uk/object/1848 accessed 2 December 2016 Matthew Holder Works of Art, http://mh-works-of-art.com/ accessed 28 April 2017 Merchant House Antiques, 19 High Street, Honiton, Devon EX14 1PR, accessed 26 June 2016 Museum of Design in Plastics - Engraved shoe horn Object Number WCHL : 8 http://www.modip.ac.uk/artefact/wchl-8, accessed 17 July 2014 Robinson, Wayne, The Reverend’s Big Blog of Leather http://leatherworkingreverend.wordpress.com/ A new Mindum shoehorn and a middle name, published May 19, 2015 This is Francis Hinson’s Shoing Horne… published May 6, 2014 Mindum’s shoehorns — a study of method published on August 29, 2013 Another Mindum Shoehorn or two published December 7, 2011 Shoe Horns – a repost published January 20, 2013 Imitation on the Thomas Gen shoe horn, published 23 June, 2015 The York Castle Museum shoehorn, published May 12, 2015

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro http://www.royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk/our-collection/decorative-art accessed 30 April 2016

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Saffron Waldon Museum, Social and Local History collection http://saffronwaldenmuseum.swmuseumsoc.org.uk/discover/local-history/ accessed 2 December 2016 http://saffronwaldenmuseum.swmuseumsoc.org.uk/delving-into-the-collections/ accessed 2 December 2016 Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum collection http://www.salisburymuseum.org.uk/collections/costume/shoehorn.html accessed 3 November 2012 Selling Antiques website http://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/412094/elizabethan-shoe-horn/ accessed 28 April 2017 Victoria and Albert Museum Image Collection, Shoehorn | Robert Mindum http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1261149/shoehorn-robert-mindum/ [dead link 31 December 2013]

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Document History Version

Date

Notes

1.0

2 April 2012



Initial document

1.1

3 November 2012

1.2

19 July 2013

     

 

Current location of the horn made for Ambras Buckels 1598. Rearrange references and notes in reverse chronological order. This was inconsistently applied in the initial release. Linked references where possible. Added the horn made for Francis Hinson 1600 Added the horn in the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, made for …s Gamlet, 1604 Information from the VAM identifying the undescribed horn of 1600 as the Matthew Westerfelde one, based on the provenance of Dame Joan Evans. Footnotes in the Burlington Magazine article tied all the loose ends together and have allowed me to positively identify all the shoehorns. Additional 1868 reference for Hugh Baruel’s horn Added thumbnail pictures Cleaned up links. Added previously unpublished 1600 Hinson Shoehorn, linked to my blog post describing the horn and Flikr account with the images. Additional 1912 reference to Bridget Dearsley’s shoe horn of 1605 in the Saffron Waldon Museum. Added the extant inscription from the 1612 …umer shoe horn. Added link to Sophie Cope’s Marking Design Part 2: Objects in the Sea of Time which mentions the 1597 Will’yam horn and discusses the how the inscription on the 1600 Hinson horn contributes to both context and significance. The thumbnail link on 1597 Will’yam horn now goes to Sophie’s photograph, the previous Christie’s Lot Finder link is still in the text. Added descriptive portions of the text of the Agecroft Hall blog post to the 1613 Jane Mindum shoehorn. Added CC license link below and the header and footer detail. Where an entry spans a page break, added an indication at the top of the next page showing which horn is being discussed. Added bibliography and reading list. Added description of 1595 Richard Crab shoehorn from Hardwick, P, Discovering Horn, Guildford, Surrey : Lutterworth Press, 1981.

  

Added new 1595 Robart Go To Bed from Bata Industries., All about shoes : footwear through the ages. Toronto : Bata Ltd., 1994 Added correspondence with York Castle Museum regarding possible Mindum horn in their collection. Updated link for 1613 Jayne Mindum horn at Agecroft Hall.

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16 July 2014

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1.4

28 August 2014

1.5

23 March 2015

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Version Date Notes 5 October 2015 1.6  Update current location on all ex-Evans and ex-Drane collection horns in the MoL  Add additional horns referenced by quoted authors  Query 1600 vs 1609 date for Westerfeld  Updated link to Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum collection for 1593 Ayres

Version 1.14

1.7

25 October 2015

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Additional shoe horns for Mindum (?) 1596 and Violet 1599 Additional note from Sotheby's website for Rose Fales 1598 Agecroft Hall has updated their entry for Jane Mindum 1613

1.8

22 May 2016

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Additional 1599 Margyt Marswell shoe horn in the Royal Cornish Museum Added photo of Richard Crab 1595 from Hardwick p62 and corrected inscription The 1601 Morris powder horn now links to my photographs on Flikr Additional news report of the sale of Mindum 1597 Description of Ambres Buckell 1598 from Costume Historian

1.9

13 July 2016

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Additional 1603 Benjamyn Gibson shoehorn New references: Brandon, Booth, Grant, Schaverien , Country Life and another issue of The Athenaeum New website link to Merchant House Antiques Added text from Brandon to 1594 Rowyns, 1595 Crabe and 1612 Gibon Added text from Booth to 1612 Blake Added text from Country Live Vol 153 to 1593 Stettson Added text from Grant to 1597 Dearsley Added text from The Athenaeum, No 2571 to 1600 Westfeld Added current location to 1599 Marswell Added thumbnail to 1594 Rownyn

1.10

29 September 2016

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Extensive revision of the description for 1595 Robart Go To Bed New text from Schaverien for Gibbon 1612, the Morris powder horn 1601 and Honourable Mentions section New reference: The Routledge Handbook of Material Culture in Early Modern Europe, 2016, containing an object study by Sophie Cope on Gibon 1612 with some information about Hinson 1600

1.11

30 September 2016



Additional reference, Antiques Trade Gazette for Blake 1612

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A catalogue of shoehorns made by Robert Mindum 1593-1613 Version 1.14 Version Date Notes 3 December 2016 1.12  Additional shoehorn 1600 Baron  Additional shoehorn 1605 Forby in Horniman Museum  Link to Saffron Waldon Museum blog post by Leah Mellors on 1605 Dearsley  Added discussion section for text from Schaverien  Added heading in References column for VAM exhibition Treasures of the Royal Courts: Tudors, Stuarts and the Russian Tsars on 1600 Westfields 1.13

25 January 2017

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

Updated link for Notes and Queries, Volume 5, January-June 1912. No 6, January 6, 1912, London, 1912 to scan at U Toronto website. Added note from Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries November 24 1892 meeting to Stettson 1593 Expanded quote from Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries November 24 1892 to Buckels 1598 Added quote from to Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries January 25, 1877 to Westfelde 1600 New reference Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, First Series, vol 3 issue 43, 1856 New general reference, Trustees of the British Museum, A Guide to the Mediaeval Room and to the Specimens of Mediaeval and Later Times in the Gold Ornament Room, OUP, 1907 Corrected name and location for Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York

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Additional section on 1601 Morris powderhorn from Schaverien (2006) p196. Additional notes from Schaverien (1997) p83 Rework Problems with the Sources section New reference, MacGregor (1985) for processing horn Additional ref for Gibson 1603 Sale details (x2) and price for Baron 1600

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1.14

28 April 2017

This work by Wayne Robinson is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. i

Thatching Tools & Equipment http://thatchinginfo.com/thatching-tools-equipment/ accessed 26 Sep. 16

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