Object Record
Images
Additional Images [4]
Metadata
Object Name |
Clog |
Donor |
Thomsen, Mary Lou |
Description |
This is the proper right clog in a pair of ladies Danish wooden shoes. Constructed of wood and black leather. The wood base has an elevated heel and projection of base at the "ball of foot" area. Areas of base coming in contact with ground have a black rubber sole nailed to wood base. The sides of wood base have been painted black. Upper leather portion is stapled to wood base. A decorative leather strap across top of shoe is nailed at both sides. There is a red and gold heart-shaped paper sticker bearing the name "HJERTING/TRÆSKO" in the heel area of the insole. An unidentifiable, trapezoidal blue ink stamp is placed on inside of shoe near the point of the heart. This same blue stamp appears to be on the underside of the clog, along with a number (38?). |
Dimensions |
H-4.125 W-3.75 L-10.5 inches |
Place Of Origin |
Denmark |
Owned By |
Niels Christian Thomsen/Thomsen, Mary Lou |
Material |
wood/leather/metal |
Associated People |
Thomsen, Niels Christian Thomsen, Mary Lou |
Search Terms |
Thomsen, Niels Christian Thomsen, Mary Lou ladies clog shoe hjerting trÆsko |
Given In Memory Of |
In Memory of Niels Christian Thomsen |
Provenance |
These ladies clogs were purchased by Niels Christian Thomsen in Denmark on one of his trips and brought back to the United States. They are part of a larger collection of coopering trade materials. Niels Christian Thomsen is the late husband of the donor. Niels Christian Thomsen's father, Christian Thomsen, was a cooper in Denmark. Niels Christian Thomsen's grandfather, Thomas Thomsen, was also a cooper. Niels Christian Thomsen was born on 5 December 1932 in Bramming, Denmark. Niels learned coopering at a young age from his father, whose barrels were used to ship butter to England. In his teen years, Niels attended night school to learn the technical aspects of barrelmaking. Visits from his Uncle Laurits Thomsen (Lawrence Thompson) encouraged him to come to the United States. Speaking very little English, he boarded a ship in 1951 that brought him to New York City. He then took a Greyhound to Crookston, Minnesota, where Charles and Myrtle Reppein, a Danish family, had invited him to stay. Niels worked for Mr. Reppein and his business associate at Crookston Cold Storage, learning the butchering trade and English. In 1954, Niels earned his citizenship when he was drafted into the United States Army. He served in the reserves for six years before receiving an Honorable Discharge in 1961. After his discharge, Niels settled in Jackson, Minnesota. His uncle, a carpenter, owned Jackson Mill works and helped Niels secure employment as a bricklayer. He made a career of this for 36 years. His career took him to Florida, Minnesota, Iowa, Colorado and California. In the 1970s, Niels brought his cooper tools to America after the death of his parents. He took up coopering as a hobby, recreating barrels, churns, buckets and smaller items. On 14 December 1957, Niels married Mary Lou Starr. Niels and Mary Lou had two children, a stepson and a daughter. Niels passed away on 2 February 1994. The above is a summary. More information is available in the paper file. |
Date Received by Museum |
07/02/2002 |
Images |
058\2002070115b.JPG |
Collection |
Niels Christian Thomsen Collection |
Accession number |
2002.070 |
Object Identification Number |
2002.070.115b |