{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1743896"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1743896/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NJ2286/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NJ2286/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2023NJ2286","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NJ2287","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NJ2288","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NJ2297","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6443","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6444","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6445","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6446","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1743896","accessionNumber":"S.83:1, 2-2023","objectType":"Boots","titles":[{"title":"Boots worn by General Tom Thumb","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Charles Sherwood Stratton (1838-1883), more widely known by his stage  name General Tom Thumb was a significant celebrity and performer in the history of 19th century popular entertainment, both in the UK and worldwide. He was encouraged by American showman, entrepreneur and businessman  Phineas T. Barnum (1810-1891) to recite, sing and do comic impersonations  dressed as various characters. Barnum took advantage of Stratton’s height, a  result of his proportionate dwarfism, and engaged him to feature in a number  of his shows, exhibitions and tours. Stratton was a sensation when he first  appeared in London’s Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly in 1844, and was invited for an  audience with Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace, where he also performed. His popularity in London and his depiction in numerous prints and publications  says much for the insatiable appetite of the contemporary public for performers    from a variety of backgrounds, statures, and medical conditions, who were  historically referred to using the derogatory term ‘curiosities’ due to their   physical appearance. In 1863 Stratton married fellow performer Mercy Lavinia  Warren, who also had a form of proportionate dwarfism. They continued touring  and performing until his death following a stroke on 15th July 1883.\r\n\r\nThese boots were acquired by the museum from the same source, along with a separate single boot, two miniature Napoleon Bonaparte jackets, a waistcoat and breeches, and an undershirt. ","physicalDescription":"<b>S.83:1-2023</b>\nDark brown heeled leather gentleman's military boot for the right foot, with leather sole and lighter section of leather in the top \n\n<b>S.83:2<b>-2023</b></b><b>\n</b>Dark brown heeled leather gentleman's military boot for the left foot with leather sole and lighter brown section of leather in the top\n","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"leather","id":"AAT11845"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Leather","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Costumes","id":"THES269529"},{"text":"Theatre costume","id":"THES268477"},{"text":"Footwear","id":"THES48951"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2023NJ2286","2023NJ2287","2023NJ2288","2023NJ2297","2023NL6443","2023NL6444","2023NL6445","2023NL6446"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES402721"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES402721"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"costume","id":"AAT178802"}],[{"text":"boots","id":"AAT46057"}],[{"text":"costume","id":"AAT178802"}],[{"text":"boots","id":"AAT46057"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1844","earliest":"1839-01-01","latest":"1848-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.79:1 to 3-2023","id":"O1733913"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.80-2023","id":"O1743893"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.81:1 to 2-2023","id":"O1743894"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.82-2023","id":"O1743895"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.83:1 to 2-2023","id":"O1743896"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.84-2023","id":"O1743897"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"17.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum length of shaft ","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"13.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum length of sole","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum width of sole","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"These boots, along with two almost identical but slightly different sized jackets, a waistcoat, breeches, undershirt, pair of boots and a single boot, were bought by the vendor's father at auction in Taunton in the 1950s, but the vendor does not know its name. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Pair of boots worn by Charles Stratton (1838-1883), known as General Tom Thumb, probably as Napoleon Bonaparte","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Stratton, Charles Sherwood","id":"N7473"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.83:1-2023","S.83:2-2023"],"accessionNumberNum":"83","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2023,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-27","recordCreationDate":"2023-02-10","availableToBook":false}}