Daniel Green, Hostess Slippers
Date1940-1950s
Credit LineGift of Judith and Wilson Rodger, London, Ontario, 2018.
Object number2018.024.051
Label TextThese Daniel Green bedroom slippers belonged to Judith’s mother, Mildred MacLean, and were meant for wear with fancy lingerie. They were not practical or worn for warmth.
Information about the Daniel Green brand of slippers: “In 1881, Daniel Green, a young traveling shoe salesman for the Wallace Elliott Company in New York City, visited Dolgeville, New York. Daniel Green was shown a pair of felt shoes fashioned from waste pieces of piano felt which had been made in the Dolgeville Felt Mill. Daniel Green noticed that these felt shoes were worn by many factory workers to keep their feet warm and comfortable on the cold factory stone floors. Impressed by the warmth and comfort of the slippers, Daniel Green took a pair back with him to his home in Canastota, New York to show his brother William. These two enthusiastic young men returned to Dolgeville and met the felt mill owner Mr. Dolge to see if they could arrange for them to manufacture felt shoes and slippers to sell to the shoe trade. Mr Dolge agreed to make all the felt footwear and gave Daniel Green the sole agency. The Green brothers returned to Canastota, and in a room over the kitchen of Daniel Green’s house, the business was founded. Both William and Daniel Green carried samples of felt slippers, and during 1882, 600 pair were sold. The second year 2,400 pair were sold, and in 1884 they sold 24,000 pair of slippers.
In 1885, the felt shoes and slippers were made with felt heels and could be worn either in the street or in the boudoir. Fancy colored felt was added with white piano felt soles and sales jumped to 75,000 pairs. With the business rapidly expanding, the company moved to Utica, New York and eventually to New York City. Daniel Green died in 1891, and soon after his death the company was incorporated in New York state.
Over 100 million pair later, Daniel Green slippers continue to represent the very same high quality and unparalleled comfort as they did during the days of William and Daniel Green.
From: https://www.danielgreen.com/shop/pc/Daniel-Green-L-B-Evans-Tempur-pedic-Slippers-and-Footwear-History-Daniel-Green-Company-d1.htm
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