Rubber-soled girl's boots

These rubber-soled girl's boots are the earliest known labelled item of Canadian-manufactured dress. They offer a glimpse into the early use of this material in footwear, less than two decades after manufacturing began in Montreal. The logo of the Canadian Rubber Company of Montreal Limited, registered in 1866, is stamped on the sole. Perhaps most surprising is the moosehair embroidery on the wool uppers. It attests to an Aboriginal presence within a putting-out system for mass-produced goods.