Antique Pointe Shoes: Selva

Ok-- I'll admit to being biased as saying that Selva are my favorite vintage pointe shoes of all time. They were both my first pair of vintage shoes and my first pair of pointe shoes that I owned. Meaning-- a friend had given them to me after she had found two pair at a yard sale in the 1980's. She was 9 maybe?

We don't know the exact date they started but it was in New York, before 1924

Jimmie Selva appears to have been an inventor as well as a skilled craftsman. "Selva Exquisite Toe" ad found Oct. 1925.

Anna Selva-Koppinger’s father was Samuel, the “son;” her grandfather Jimmie, was the “Selva” of Selva & Son. According to Anna, Samuel Selva, the “son,” was sole designer for Selva & Son.

Samuel also designed the Fred Astaire Tap. Originally the finest Italian shoemakers were employed to make the shoes.

According to Sarah Helen Williams, James Selva left Capezio to start his own company. in 1925. Selva filed his 1st ballet slipper patent in 1926. It was constructed of canvas, glue, and satin.

An ad claimed, "Helen Brown Premiere Danseuse of the Ziegfeld Follies wears Tu-Toe." The Selva Tu-Toe. patented Nov 1927, offered two layers of fabric over the pointe so that it would last twice as long.

Selva & Son grew into a major dancewear company became Selva Dancewear, and rivaled Capezio into the early 1980's. Apparently, they used to be sold in malls and all over the place. There was a dedicated Selva Store in New York.

Capezio bought the Selva name and retired everything except some specialized products like taps.

Selva Princess - The above are all Selva Princess. They were a somewhat tapered box with a medium length vamp and a medium height profile. They had a medium strength shank and a suede tip. The black satin ones are the ones that belong to me.