A compelling piece of American ballet history: this pair of authentic ballet pointe shoes personally signed by renowned prima ballerina Paloma Herrera, worn during her performance of The Snow Maiden I and II with the American Ballet Theatre on June 14, 1999, at the Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center.
Both shoes bear Herrera’s signature, with one additionally inscribed and dated, providing direct, performance-specific provenance. The shoes are presented in a refined ebonized shadowbox frame, thoughtfully mounted over original The Snow Maiden program notes from the American Ballet Theatre, creating a museum-quality display that contextualizes the performance and artist.
Paloma Herrera’s tenure as a principal dancer with ABT (1995–2017) places her among the most celebrated ballerinas of her generation. Signed, performance-used pointe shoes, especially with accompanying programs, are increasingly scarce and highly sought after by collectors of dance history, theater memorabilia, and fine art ephemera.
Details
Artist / Performer: Paloma Herrera
Ballet: The Snow Maiden I and II
Company: American Ballet Theatre
Venue: Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center
Date: June 14, 1999
Medium: Satin pointe shoes, ink signature
Presentation: Ebonized shadowbox frame with original program notes
Overall Dimensions: 11.75" H × 13.25" W × 2.75" D
Provenance: Property from a Fifth Avenue Estate
Investment & Collector Appeal
Performance-used, signed ballet shoes from principal dancers of major companies represent a niche but steadily appreciating segment of performing arts collectibles. Paloma Herrera’s international stature, long ABT career, and limited availability of documented performance artifacts enhance long-term desirability. The inclusion of period program notes and professional shadowbox framing further strengthens value and display readiness.
This work is a rare, performance-used artifact from one of the most celebrated American ballerinas of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Paloma Herrera’s signed pointe shoes directly connect the collector to a specific night at the Metropolitan Opera House, capturing the physical imprint of a historic American Ballet Theatre performance. Unlike posters or programs alone, pointe shoes are intimate, ephemeral objects, meant to be destroyed through use, making surviving, signed examples exceptionally scarce.
From a collecting standpoint, ballet memorabilia occupies a unique intersection of fine art, performance history, and cultural legacy. As principal dancers retire and their estates disperse, authenticated, dated pieces tied to major institutions like the American Ballet Theatre and Lincoln Center have shown increasing demand among private collectors and performing arts institutions alike. The inclusion of original program notes and museum-style shadowbox presentation elevates this piece beyond memorabilia into display-ready art.
For collectors of dance history, American cultural icons, or investment-grade ephemera, this piece represents a tangible record of mastery, discipline, and fleeting beauty, an object that cannot be replicated and will only become rarer with time.
A compelling piece of American ballet history: this pair of authentic ballet pointe shoes personally signed by renowned prima ballerina Paloma Herrera, worn during her performance of The Snow Maiden I and II with the American Ballet Theatre on June 14, 1999, at the Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center.
Both shoes bear Herrera’s signature, with one additionally inscribed and dated, providing direct, performance-specific provenance. The shoes are presented in a refined ebonized shadowbox frame, thoughtfully mounted over original The Snow Maiden program notes from the American Ballet Theatre, creating a museum-quality display that contextualizes the performance and artist.
Paloma Herrera’s tenure as a principal dancer with ABT (1995–2017) places her among the most celebrated ballerinas of her generation. Signed, performance-used pointe shoes, especially with accompanying programs, are increasingly scarce and highly sought after by collectors of dance history, theater memorabilia, and fine art ephemera.
Details
Artist / Performer: Paloma Herrera
Ballet: The Snow Maiden I and II
Company: American Ballet Theatre
Venue: Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center
Date: June 14, 1999
Medium: Satin pointe shoes, ink signature
Presentation: Ebonized shadowbox frame with original program notes
Overall Dimensions: 11.75" H × 13.25" W × 2.75" D
Provenance: Property from a Fifth Avenue Estate
Investment & Collector Appeal
Performance-used, signed ballet shoes from principal dancers of major companies represent a niche but steadily appreciating segment of performing arts collectibles. Paloma Herrera’s international stature, long ABT career, and limited availability of documented performance artifacts enhance long-term desirability. The inclusion of period program notes and professional shadowbox framing further strengthens value and display readiness.
This work is a rare, performance-used artifact from one of the most celebrated American ballerinas of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Paloma Herrera’s signed pointe shoes directly connect the collector to a specific night at the Metropolitan Opera House, capturing the physical imprint of a historic American Ballet Theatre performance. Unlike posters or programs alone, pointe shoes are intimate, ephemeral objects, meant to be destroyed through use, making surviving, signed examples exceptionally scarce.
From a collecting standpoint, ballet memorabilia occupies a unique intersection of fine art, performance history, and cultural legacy. As principal dancers retire and their estates disperse, authenticated, dated pieces tied to major institutions like the American Ballet Theatre and Lincoln Center have shown increasing demand among private collectors and performing arts institutions alike. The inclusion of original program notes and museum-style shadowbox presentation elevates this piece beyond memorabilia into display-ready art.
For collectors of dance history, American cultural icons, or investment-grade ephemera, this piece represents a tangible record of mastery, discipline, and fleeting beauty, an object that cannot be replicated and will only become rarer with time.
