The objects in the photo below are some of the most unusual in my family history archive. They’re believed to have belonged to my great-great-grandmother, Catherine Toms nee Moss. They might even have been made by her, although that’s a guess. I know what they are, do you?

They’re a particular type of shoe tree—a vintage shoe stretcher or shoe keeper. Small pieces of smooth, painted wood are attached at each end of a strip of flexible metal, which is wrapped in a length of shirred silk.

This pair is most likely from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. The ribbon is pink and retains some tiny decorations. The wooden ends have been painted in gold which has worn away somewhat.

The wider end would be slipped into the toe of the shoe, and the narrower end into the heel. They help hold the shape of shoes, or stretch them to increase the size slightly.

Shoe trees are still used today, many made of wood like vintage ones were, or from plastic.

Selected references

Pair of shoe-trees, V&A, https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O67964/pair-of-shoe-unknown/, accessed 19 April 2026.

The Ultimate Guide to Shoe Trees: Types, Benefits, and Best Picks, The Shoe Snob Blog, 5 March 2025, https://theshoesnobblog.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-shoe-trees-types-benefits-and-best-picks/, accessed 19 April 2026.