Objects Database

Boots

Accession Number

055.2008.1

Object Name

Boots

Created

09/05/2008

Creator

Liz Wilshaw

Accession Date

09/05/2008

Brief Description

Large heavy mountaineering boots in leather with reinforced hard leather toe and metal studded soles. Newer flat laces through eyelets/holes, hanging tabs to heels. Size 10 imprint on sole, not other inscription, but label attached to one boot "standard RAF issued nailed boots". Brown with black toe cap.

Materials

Leather with metal studs, woven flat laces

Dimensions

Size 10 length 33.5 cms

Number Of Objects

2 (pair)

Inscription Description

10 imprinted on sole. Several studs inscribed: TRICOUNI BREV + 6.15 SUISSE. Paper label attached to one boot reads "Standard RAF issued nailed boots"

Colour

Brown with black toe caps and laces

Maker

unknown

Provenance

Another lovely pair of boots where we're not sure of the donator, but think Mountain Guide, Roger Wild, may have given them to us. Anyway, the RAF Mountain Rescue Service used this type of boot in the 1950's + 1960's and they were probably made by someone on some sort of MOD contract - like many things in our collection, more research would probably be rewarded. We do have some info on the Tricouni nails however.
Felix Genecand was a Swiss jeweller and passionate climber bases in Geneva. He designed a new boot, and nailing system in 1912, having found a way to harden the nails and join them - by brazing - to a softer malleable section which could easily be attached to the boot. The nails were then aligned around the edge of the boot allowing for much beter grip then previously available. Genecand was known to his friends by the nickname of 'Tricouni' from his association with a climb of the same name on the Saleve climbing area near Geneva, so the name of his newly invented nails became Tricouni.
Guisepe Tricouni was an Italian mountain climber -born in Treviso 1908 - who ended up in Canada where there is a mountain named after him in British Columbia. Not sure of the link between Felix Genecand, the Saleve and Genecand's nickname - if indeed there is one.

Acquisition Date

09/05/2008

Condition Check Date

28/04/2009

Normal Location

Bohuntin

Current Location

Bohuntin

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

28/04/2009

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