Jack, Last

Object Name:

Jack, Last

Object ID:

1977.055.01.040

Date:

1888-1914

Description:

Lasting jack. Cast iron support for a shoe last. Top concave surface angles slightly downward and is covered with a piece of leather held in place by cotton string wrapped around narrower neck. Lower portion flares out, has straight sides and an oval cross section. Bottom edge is slightly concave. One side has a deep slot along the middle with a spring. The other side has a corresponding raised area along the middle. From shoemaker's bench 1977.055.01.1.

Material:

Metal
Leather
Textile
Iron

Dimensions:

H-5.5 W-3.25 D-2.25 inches

Provenance:

Acquired in the vicinity of Durham, NH by the collector James Cowan Sawyer (1872-1944).

A shoe sole pattern (1977.55.1.96) bears the names Wiggin & Newhall who are listed in the 1895 Dover City Directory as boot and shoemakers. They were successors to Smith & Wiggin (1892-93 Dover City Directory), who were in turn successors of Walton R. Shaw (1890-91 and 1892-93 Dover City Directories). Wiggin was later in partnership with Dudley L. Furber who made shoes until 1914. Several shoe sole patterns (1977.55.1.95-.98) bear the initials H.G., possibly referring to Henry Glidden of Glidden and Bennett, boot and shoe manufacturers listed in the Dover City directories for 1888-1893.

Credit Line:

James Cowan Sawyer Collection, Gift of George F. Sawyer and Charles H. Sawyer

People:

Bennett, Ellery I. (1850-1917), Furber, Dudley L. (1848-1914), Glidden, Henry P. (1833-1916), Newhall, Frank L. (1868-1949), Smith, Nelson H. (1864-19 ? ), Wiggin, Charles F. (1868-1931), Sawyer, James Cowan (1872-1944), Sawyer, George F. (1902-1992), Sawyer, Charles H. (1906-2005)