Baby Shoe – Pink Metlox #026

This is a pink baby pottery shoe from Metlox Potteries of Manhattan Beach, California. Metlox was in business from 1927 through 1985. It is finished in a soft satin matte and is in perfect condition. It measures 4 7/8″ long” and 2 1/4″ high.

This shoe, used as a baby planter, could be purchased singly or in pairs, and in sets of pink, blue or white.

Unusually, this shoe has not been used, it’s interior is clean and smooth. This increases the value of the shoe.

On the sole, there is black and gold sticker, partially removed, which says Berheimer Oriental Gardens, Pacific Palisades California. If you look closely, you can see an incised “R” just above the sticker. It is difficult to photograph, but the complete inscription reads METLOX 47C and in the second line an R. The R is for right. These shoes were made in both a right (R) and a left (L) shoe.

The Berheimer Oriental Gardens at Pacifica Palisades was a popular tourist attraction from its opening in 1921 until the advent of WWII. Since the owners were German, the attraction fell on hard times in the mid-1940s and closed shortly thereafter. A large drawing of the Japanese Gardens is at the following link along with information regarding the tourist attraction.

http://www.image-archeology.com/Bernheimer_Japanese_Gardens_Hollywood_CA_775.jpg

This shoe dates between 1927 (when the factory opened) and 1941 (when the Gardens closed to the public.)

Earlene Wheatley’s reference book sets the value at this shoe at $40.00 in 2001. The shoe was purchased on an eBay auction for $6.25 plus $4.50 postage and handling on December 09, 2007. Its estimated collector value is $50 to $55.

Information found in Collector’s Encyclopedia of Metlox Potteries (Collector Books) by Carl Gibbs and Collectible Glass Shoes, 2nd Edition by Earlene Wheatley by Schroeder Publishing Co., 2001 plus information from the private antique dealer which was confirmed by internet research.