Summary
This miniature Greek stylised sandal was made by Stanio Fancoff during his shoemaking career sometime between the 1930s and the 1970s.
Stanio Ivanoff Fancoff was born in 1908 in Bojentsi, a small village in Bulgaria. At age 11, Stanio left home to learn the shoemaking trade. In 1929, he immigrated to Melbourne, settled in Fitzroy and began to work for the V.G. Zemancheff & Sons basket shoe factory in South Melbourne. In1936, he married Dorotea Georgi Touzou who had recently arrived in Australia. Around this time, Stanio set up his own shoemaking business from home, with Georgi, her cousin and sister weaving the shoes which he then assembled. Select shoe samples were then taken to Sydney and Tasmania for sale. In 1942, Georgi and Stanio moved to Broken Hill for Georgi's health; there daughter Nancy was born and Stanio set up a shoe shop/factory. In 1945, Georgi died and by 1950 Stanio and Nancy had moved to Adelaide where he again opened a shoemaking business and shop. He passed away in 1978, having been in the shoemaking business for 59 years. This collection documents his migration and working life experiences.
Physical Description
Miniature Greek stylised sandal. Light beige coloured cardboard sole cutout with six puncture marks and an inset pencil line that mimicks the sole. Dark brown leather strap emerges from sole's base, crosses over the big toe and connects to and through the sole's midway point, this strap continues to cross over beneath the sole to re-emerge as singular long straps that flank the right and left foot arch area. Although in good condition, some of the cardboard's upper surface is missing and the piece exhibits signs of staining.
Significance
This collection is significant in documenting a small migrant business as well as the fashion of a particular period. It is well provenanced and charts the application of trade skills in a new country. It also illustrates the stages of hand shoe manufacture from the 1930s, demonstrating the enduring nature of the tools and patterns that were used.
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Nancy Vasileff, 21 Mar 2007
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Maker
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
53 mm (Width), 141 mm (Height)
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References
R.A. Salaman, 'Dictionary of Leather-working Tools c.1700-1950 and Tools of Allied Trades,' London: George Allen and Unwin (Publishers) Ltd, 1986 [Section 2: Boot and Shoe Maker pp18-185]. John Peacock. 'Shoes, The Complete Sourcebook,' London:Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2005. NAA holds file (online) on Vasil George Zemancheff, Fancoff's employer
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Keywords
Boot & Shoemaking, Bulgarian Communities, Bulgarian Immigration, Immigration, Small Businesses