{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1743897"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1743897/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NJ2296/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NJ2296/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2023NJ2296","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NJ2298","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6415","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6447","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6448","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6449","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1743897","accessionNumber":"S.84-2023","objectType":"Boot","titles":[{"title":"Boot 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\nThis boot was was acquired by the museum from the same source, along with a pair of boots, two miniature Napoleon Bonaparte jackets, a waistcoat and breeches, and an undershirt. ","physicalDescription":"PROV.400:1-2023\r\nDark brown heeled leather gentleman's military boot for the right foot with leather sole, black vamp, dark brown shaft, and red section of leather in the top ","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"leather","id":"AAT11845"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Leather","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Costumes","id":"THES269529"},{"text":"Footwear","id":"THES48951"},{"text":"Military","id":"THES250701"},{"text":"Theatre costume","id":"THES268477"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2023NJ2296","2023NJ2298","2023NL6415","2023NL6447","2023NL6448","2023NL6449"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES402721"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"costumes","id":"x31908"}],[{"text":"theatre costumes","id":"x47007"}],[{"text":"boots","id":"AAT46057"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1844","earliest":"1839-01-01","latest":"1848-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"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"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"13.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum length of sole","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximun width of sole","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This boot, along with a pair of boots, two almost identical but slightly different sized jackets, a waistcoat, breeches and undershirt were bought by the vendor's father at auction in Taunton in the  1950s, but the vendor does not know its name. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Boot 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":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.84-2023"],"accessionNumberNum":"84","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2023,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-27","recordCreationDate":"2023-02-10","availableToBook":false}}