Pavlova, Anna. (1881-1931). Anna Pavlova's Pointe Shoe. A ballet slipper worn and danced in by the most legendary ballerina in the history of dance. Pink slipper stamped by the maker Romeo Nicolini on the sole, satin body over stiff leather sole, rear lined with kid leather, ca. 200 mm in length; heavily worn from use, with several areas of reinforced stitching and repairs by the ballerina herself. Housed in a custom book-form full pink goatskin case with recessed compartment lined in crushed white velvet, with a slipper design gilt-stamped to the front board, and name plate on spine. A very fine presentation of an extraordinary relic.
From the collection of ballerina Joan Van Wart (1900-1987) who toured with Anna Pavlova and her company, collected Pavlovaiana assiduously, and who loaned her collection to the Victoria & Albert Museum for their 1956 Pavlova Commemorative Exhibition. Sold together with a copy of a news article about the sale of Van Wart's collection (UK Antiques Information Services, 3/14/12), including an image of the present slipper, and a signed letter of provenance from the original buyer of the collection.
The craftsman Romeo Nicolini made dance shoes which were famous for not making any sound on stage, and he crafted them for many important dancers including Tamara Karsavina, Lydia Lopokova and others from the Ballets Russes. Yet his most famous client was Anna Pavlova. Like all of his shoes, the ones for her were of course made by hand, but the specifications from Pavlova were especially exacting and she is known to have worked closely with Nicolini over many years. Pavlova often sent him drawings and measurements and, at times, she even visited him to show him how particular steps had to be performed so that he could create perfectly fitting shoes to suit them. While Nicolini was honoured that the performer wore his shoes, he once told the great virutoso dancer and teacher Enrico Cecchetti that he was glad he only had one Pavlova to please since she was extremely demanding when it came to quality and design. Nicolini’s shoes for Tamara Karsavina, as well as for others, are in the permanent collection of the V&A in London.
The dancer, Lydia Sokolova, explained how Pavlova customised her shoes, and the present example seems to echo this report in every detail: “Taking shoes that were made somewhat too large for her she would insert an extra support of thin leather or cork in the forward part of the shoe, but some distance from the tip, then soaking them in water, she would tread down the padded pointes as far down as the support. When they were dry she cut a slit in the rear edge of the pointe and inserted a plait of tape. Finally she would darn all over and round the pointe in the normal way she thus contrived for herself solid platforms on which to balance."
We have located no examples of Pavlova's shoes ever having appeared at auction. In institutional collections, we are aware only of a pair held by the Newberry Library (Chicago).
The dancer, Lydia Sokolova, explained how Pavlova customised her shoes, and the present example seems to echo this report in every detail: “Taking shoes that were made somewhat too large for her she would insert an extra support of thin leather or cork in the forward part of the shoe, but some distance from the tip, then soaking them in water, she would tread down the padded pointes as far down as the support. When they were dry she cut a slit in the rear edge of the pointe and inserted a plait of tape. Finally she would darn all over and round the pointe in the normal way she thus contrived for herself solid platforms on which to balance."
We have located no examples of Pavlova's shoes ever having appeared at auction. In institutional collections, we are aware only of a pair held by the Newberry Library (Chicago).
Pavlova, Anna. (1881-1931). Anna Pavlova's Pointe Shoe. A ballet slipper worn and danced in by the most legendary ballerina in the history of dance. Pink slipper stamped by the maker Romeo Nicolini on the sole, satin body over stiff leather sole, rear lined with kid leather, ca. 200 mm in length; heavily worn from use, with several areas of reinforced stitching and repairs by the ballerina herself. Housed in a custom book-form full pink goatskin case with recessed compartment lined in crushed white velvet, with a slipper design gilt-stamped to the front board, and name plate on spine. A very fine presentation of an extraordinary relic.
From the collection of ballerina Joan Van Wart (1900-1987) who toured with Anna Pavlova and her company, collected Pavlovaiana assiduously, and who loaned her collection to the Victoria & Albert Museum for their 1956 Pavlova Commemorative Exhibition. Sold together with a copy of a news article about the sale of Van Wart's collection (UK Antiques Information Services, 3/14/12), including an image of the present slipper, and a signed letter of provenance from the original buyer of the collection.
The craftsman Romeo Nicolini made dance shoes which were famous for not making any sound on stage, and he crafted them for many important dancers including Tamara Karsavina, Lydia Lopokova and others from the Ballets Russes. Yet his most famous client was Anna Pavlova. Like all of his shoes, the ones for her were of course made by hand, but the specifications from Pavlova were especially exacting and she is known to have worked closely with Nicolini over many years. Pavlova often sent him drawings and measurements and, at times, she even visited him to show him how particular steps had to be performed so that he could create perfectly fitting shoes to suit them. While Nicolini was honoured that the performer wore his shoes, he once told the great virutoso dancer and teacher Enrico Cecchetti that he was glad he only had one Pavlova to please since she was extremely demanding when it came to quality and design. Nicolini’s shoes for Tamara Karsavina, as well as for others, are in the permanent collection of the V&A in London.
The dancer, Lydia Sokolova, explained how Pavlova customised her shoes, and the present example seems to echo this report in every detail: “Taking shoes that were made somewhat too large for her she would insert an extra support of thin leather or cork in the forward part of the shoe, but some distance from the tip, then soaking them in water, she would tread down the padded pointes as far down as the support. When they were dry she cut a slit in the rear edge of the pointe and inserted a plait of tape. Finally she would darn all over and round the pointe in the normal way she thus contrived for herself solid platforms on which to balance."
We have located no examples of Pavlova's shoes ever having appeared at auction. In institutional collections, we are aware only of a pair held by the Newberry Library (Chicago).
The dancer, Lydia Sokolova, explained how Pavlova customised her shoes, and the present example seems to echo this report in every detail: “Taking shoes that were made somewhat too large for her she would insert an extra support of thin leather or cork in the forward part of the shoe, but some distance from the tip, then soaking them in water, she would tread down the padded pointes as far down as the support. When they were dry she cut a slit in the rear edge of the pointe and inserted a plait of tape. Finally she would darn all over and round the pointe in the normal way she thus contrived for herself solid platforms on which to balance."
We have located no examples of Pavlova's shoes ever having appeared at auction. In institutional collections, we are aware only of a pair held by the Newberry Library (Chicago).