This beautiful 18th-century bonnet belonged to Marie-Antoinette's daughter. Marie-Antoinette's duchesse satin shoe is to the right of the bonnet. The historical items are part of an astonishing museum-quality private collection at a family chateau in the Loire Valley, France.
The former Queen of France's shoes and monogrammed and embroidered garters. At left is her daughter's bonnet. Click photos to enlarge.
Faded grandeur of 17th-century hand-stitched slippers. Wooden and ivory crucifixion figures of Christ and gold gilt angel wings are stuffed inside the shoes.
Just came accross this searching web, love the photos just amazing! I just started another blog featuring art inspired by Marie, come visit sometime, Kim
Posted by: Kimberly Ryan | 21 August 2008 at 22:51
Oh, poor little princess! Did you know there's a biog just out of her (Marie Therese)? There's a review in this week's Sunday Times mag - publisher is Bloomsbury. Just found your blog - I'll be a regular reader.
Posted by: Rosemary | 17 July 2008 at 16:50
Tara! This makes my collecting gene green with envy! Wow oh wow!!!
Posted by: Ulla | 16 July 2008 at 02:55
Ooooooh, I love this kinda stuff. Love them! Thanks for sharing. xo
Posted by: Rosa | 16 July 2008 at 01:50
Miss Tara, your blog is so special to me! It always come with beauty and emotion and incredible photos... You should have heard my heart skip a beat. If you had not taken these, I would have never been able to see them!! incredible, isn't it??? How our treasures out live us... To see the shoes and bonnets, and other treasures... xoxo
Posted by: A Fanciful Twist | 13 July 2008 at 23:50
Wow, this is amazing! Lovely photos too.
Thank you so much for you sweet wishes on my first blogging birthday! :-) So glad to have found nice people like you!
Happy weekend,
Melissa
Posted by: melissa @ the inspired room | 13 July 2008 at 04:50
Oh Wow Tara!!
You find the best treasure to share. This is astonishing.
Thank you!!!!
xo
C
Posted by: rochambeau | 13 July 2008 at 01:27
I love these treasures !!! thank you for sharing
Posted by: le petit cabinet de curiosites | 12 July 2008 at 15:19
You have such a great eye for beuty. I am a sucker for antique emroidery and this is no exception on the shoes. Thanks for showing us.
xox
Posted by: Judy Wilkenfeld | 12 July 2008 at 13:23
Oh how you colour our worlds Tara!
Thanks for the treats here, what a state of preservation, all things considered. Not bad I'd say. The shoes are lovely, so is the bonnet.
xo
(Will they feature in your book?)
Posted by: Gillian | 12 July 2008 at 03:17
Wow is this posting awesome! I have been teaching my students about the French Revolution! And to find these pics! I don't think I have seen images of this anywhere! Fantastic!
Posted by: Gemma | 11 July 2008 at 23:55
uh uh uh...swoon...need oxygen...OMG! Tara!
I'm so excited that you got to be so close to these lovely items, not even under glass. How wonderful!
Posted by: tangobaby | 11 July 2008 at 23:30
Can you imagine how beautiful these items must have looked like when they were new?!
Posted by: Enzie Shahmiri | 11 July 2008 at 23:29
Just amazing...the shoe trees themselves!
Posted by: stephanie | 11 July 2008 at 19:08
uhmmm....my jaw has dropped ~ the adventures you find and the wonderful things that find you never cease to amaze me. and i'm so grateful that you're so talented at sharing them with us, your adoring fans.
Posted by: studio wellspring | 11 July 2008 at 18:49
Tara, how cool are these photos? Thanks for the nice wishes while we were away. Hope to see you in SF, call or email when you have a minute. Best~ Robyn
Posted by: robyn | 11 July 2008 at 16:23
Amazing collection really interesting one.
Posted by: Philip | 11 July 2008 at 16:01
Tara you are a master at finding such opulent treasures. Merveilleux!hugs NG
Posted by: naturegirl | 11 July 2008 at 14:17