Pair of Shoes
PeriodCirca 1940
Place MadeNew York, New York, U.S.A.
MediumLeather, steel, cotton
Dimensions6 × 3 × 8 in. (15.2 × 7.6 × 20.3 cm)
SignedBoth insoles are stamped in gilt lettering "De Liso Debs / Designed by Palter De Liso / Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. / Circus Last."
ClassificationsCostume, Women's
Credit LineGift of Dick and Joan Mihm, 2005
Object number2005.6.83
DescriptionA pair of women's dark red leather shoes, with three inch tapered heels, open sides, and peep toes. The upper edges of the vamp are trimmed with small red leather scallops, highlighted with narrow white leather piping. The shoe outsole and heel caps are brown leather, while the insole is dark red leather. The shank appears to be steel, edged with woven red cotton grosgrain.NotesThese stylish and elegant high-heeled peep-toed shoes were the product of Palter De Liso, a nationally recognized shoe firm during much of the 20th century. Daniel "Dan" Palter (1897 - 1947) and Vincent De Liso (1897 - 1971) joined forces in or around 1922 and quickly became well known for the high quality and imaginative designs of their women's footwear products. Vincent De Liso emigrated from Italy in around 1907 with his parents and siblings, settling in New York. His father, Dominick De Liso, was also a shoemaker and according to Palter De Liso advertisements, was awarded a ruby and gold stickpin by Queen Margharita of Italy in 1897 for the excellence of his footwear. The company used the stickpin as their logo. Daniel Palter's parents emigrated from Russia in the late 19th century and settled in New York City, where his father earned a living as a tailor. Palter and De Liso met while working for Morris Lepidus, a shoemaker with a shop at 254 West 18th Street in lower Manhattan. Daniel Palter garnered early and consistent publicity for his footwear creations, including a $100 pair of red and silver doeskin evening slippers featured at the Southeastern Shoe Retailers Convention in Atlanta in 1926. Palter also seems to have encountered labor troubles. In 1929, a newspaper article described a Communist demonstration outside Palter's company on West 26th Street, with indications that at least some Palter employees participated in the unrest. Vincent De Liso pursued his own goals, applying for and receiving at least two patents, one in 1932 and a second in 1934, for "Soe and Method of Making Same" and "Design for a Shoe." The names of Dan Palter and Vincent De Liso appeared for the first time together in an advertisement in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 2 May 1934. In 1938, Daniel Palter was included as one of that year's recipients of the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award "for being the outstanding designer who has done the most to stimulate style interest in women's footwear on the North American Continent." The company's "De Liso Debs" shoe line was advertised beginning in January of 1939. Palter and De Liso are credited with introducing the slingback peeptoe style of shoe. In 1946, New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey awarded golden thimbles to "America's top 10 designers, as chosen by a poll of the nation's 50,000 retailers," among whom was Dan Palter. Palter De Liso had a strong advertising presence, with one or both men traveling the country, making special appearances at upscale department stores and speaking about shoes and shoe fashions. The company appeared to do well even during the Great Depression and World War II, continuing to offer elegant, attractive, creative shoes for their customers. On 4 September 1947, Daniel Palter committed suicide at the company's main offices at 740 Broadway. Dan's son, Richard "Dick" Palter, who worked in the factory during his teen years, stepped into his father's place. Richard continued the company's high profile marketing, touring the country, speaking at fashion events, and giving interviews for the fashion columns of American newspapers. The company appears to have closed operations in the mid 1970s. The original Palter De Liso label was revived in 2013 by Lauren Bruksch and Taz Saunders.
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