Martha Washington Wedding Shoe Ornament

This handmade ornament, crafted exclusively for Mount Vernon, is one of the unique pieces made by the British company St. Nicolas.  St. Nicolas has worked with a small Christian charities in Thailand and India for 25 years helping disadvantaged rural women work in their own communities by sewing decorations at home.

The glittery wedding shoes Martha Custis wore were considered haute couture, equivalent to today’s most exclusive, stare-at-me stilettos. Crafted from lush purple silk and couched with sterling silver braid and spangles, these heels were show-stopping. The elegant shoe ornament is adorned with gold thread and purple lace fabric and measures approximately 4 ½ " x 2 ½ " plus a 4” gold thread for hanging.