Object ID
2013.19.5
Object Name
Skirt
Date Created
1881 – 1882
Object Entities
Venetos, Cleo (is related to)
Emmanuel Zabit, Nancy (is related to)
Vasiliou, Katherine (is related to)
Emmanuel, Katherine (is related to)
Kalfa, Christina (is related to)
Object Description
This is the bottom portion of the two-piece engagement outfit of Christina Ioanna Kalfa. It is a plain patterned skirt, the same fabric and color as the jacket (army green). It is dismantled from its orginial form, because of the intent to alter the outfit. Consequently, there are cuts on seams and loose threads/hems. But in general, the dress is comprised of plain panels of this fabric sewn together to form the top 33 inches of the skirt, and then the same fabric is pleated very finely to form the bottom 7 inches of the skirt. The inside of the skirt is lined with light brown fabric, the same lining as the jacket it is paired with.
Origin
**For full family history, see donor file**

This was the engagement outfit of the donor's great-grandmother, Christina Ioanna Kalfa. Christina was the mother of Katherine (Hadzi Vasiliou) Emmanuel, who immigrated to the United States in August of 1920, through Ellis Island, NY, accompanied by her soon-to-be husband's cousin. Upon arrival in America, Katherine had her mother's 1881 engagement outfit in her posession. Katherine intended to alter it for herself. The alterations were not done. Consequently, the two-piece outfit is dismantled, although its fabric is in pristine condition. Katherine's daughter, Nancy Anna Emmanuel Zabit, passed the engagement outfit on to her daughter, Cleo Zabit Venetos, who in turn donated it to the National Hellenic Museum in 2013.
Rights and Reproduction
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Any other use, such as exhibition, publication, or commercial use, is not allowed except by written permission in accordance with the NHM Image Rights and Reproduction Policy.

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Citation
Skirt, 1881 – 1882, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/10000. Accessed 04/19/24.