Ethnographic
William 'Boy' Habraken
Boy Habraken was literally born in a shoe at the end of the 2nd World War in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. He decided to leave his father's business when he was 20 years old and started his own wholesale business in the shoe industry.
His business travels took him on many journeys all around the globe. He visited more than 120 countries and lived several years in Taiwan.
In his free time he collected shoes worn with traditional native costumes. The extra information and context was as important as the shoe itself: the used materials, the manufacturing, the use, the age and the name in the local language.
This resulted in a unique collection of more than 2700 pairs of shoes from more than 155 countries and regions. Amongst them are some very rare pieces of North American Indians, Eskimo's, African tribes, Berbers, Bedoeins, Mongols, the Ottoman and pre-Inca empire.
Large parts of the collection find their origin in Japan, India, Iran (Persia), Tibet and Pakistan.
The Chinese part of the collection cannot be found in any Chinese Museum. Europe is represented from Iceland to Russia, and from Lapland to Spain.
'Karara' shoes, made from emu feathers and human hair were worn by local Australian executioners during the Kadaitschi ritual.
Magnificent bridal shoes come from Afhanistan, India, Syria and Turkey. As a real Dutchman he also collected many clogs.
On the 19th of September 2006, Guinness World of Records confirmed that William (Boy) Habraken collected the largest collection of tribal and ethnographical shoes in the world.
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2461
Sri Lanka
CeylonEarly 20th century
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329
France
NormandyEarly 20th century
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2110
Niger
Early 20th century
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2641
Israel
PalestineEarly 20th century
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2333
Turkmenistan
Middle 20th century
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496
Japan
Middle 20th century
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828
Spain
MatxitxacoMiddle 20th century
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645
Nepal
Middle 20th century
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1059
Vietnam
Ho Chi MinhMiddle 20th century
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1408
Niger
Early 20th century