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What are these shoes made of?

post #1 of 22
1/25/12 at 4:27am
Thread Starter 
Apologies if this has already been discussed (just point me to the thread please), I haven't seen anything here.

This auction says...shark? elephant?

Or is it calf and the listing is a typical scam?

215

Also, they seem to look kind of...wrinkly and ruined, as if they were stored at the bottom of a river for a while. Is it just the photography, or the fact that there's no feet in the shoes when the pictures were shot? If this is a rare and desirable hide, what are the merits of something that looks like that?
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post #2 of 22
1/25/12 at 5:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LooknGr8 View Post

Apologies if this has already been discussed (just point me to the thread please), I haven't seen anything here.
This auction says...shark? elephant?
Or is it calf and the listing is a typical scam?
215
Also, they seem to look kind of...wrinkly and ruined, as if they were stored at the bottom of a river for a while. Is it just the photography, or the fact that there's no feet in the shoes when the pictures were shot? If this is a rare and desirable hide, what are the merits of something that looks like that?

Shark skin. No doubt about it. That price is ridiculous.
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post #3 of 22
1/25/12 at 5:34am
shark, they're supposed to look like that. Here are mine and for a price comparison, I bought these unworn for $100 on ebay

008.jpg
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post #4 of 22
1/25/12 at 6:53am
Thread Starter 
Love the avatar & agree with its statement!

Why do you like shark/what do you wear them with, typically?
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post #5 of 22
1/25/12 at 6:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LooknGr8 View Post

Love the avatar & agree with its statement!
Why do you like shark/what do you wear them with, typically?

Thanks about the avatar... I'm a vintage exotics addict (as you can tell). I've got 2 pairs of shark shoes. Very tough hide & wetness doesn't bother them at all. I added topies, and they make a great casual crappy weather shoe.
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post #6 of 22
1/25/12 at 6:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by isshinryu101 View Post

Thanks about the avatar... I'm a vintage exotics addict (as you can tell). I've got 2 pairs of shark shoes. Very tough hide & wetness doesn't bother them at all. I added topies, and they make a great casual crappy weather shoe.

jeans & flannel/ heavy wool pants are good, i think.
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post #7 of 22
1/25/12 at 6:59am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by isshinryu101 View Post

Thanks about the avatar....

I was talking about David Stern, hahahaha but yours is all right, too. Thanks for the knowledge.
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post #8 of 22
1/25/12 at 7:12pm
I wear mine with everything. With a suit they add a nice subtle touch of flare. Since they are black most people don't even notice they're exotic. With jeans they're cool too. And yes, weather can't fuck with shark.
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post #9 of 22
1/25/12 at 8:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by texas_jack View Post

shark, they're supposed to look like that. Here are mine and for a price comparison, I bought these unworn for $100 on ebay
008.jpg


nice looking texture.

 

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post #10 of 22
1/27/12 at 4:33am
Thread Starter 
@isshinryu101,

Looking at these Imperial Hanovers, too, what exotic are they?

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post #11 of 22
1/27/12 at 5:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LooknGr8 View Post

@isshinryu101,
Looking at these Imperial Hanovers, too, what exotic are they?
231

plastic croc... ie fake. Although from this angle, they could also be plastic bullfrog.
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post #12 of 22
1/27/12 at 6:32am
Thread Starter 
shows how much brand names meant in the 1970s.

And an object lesson for hair-trigger eBay bidders like me, a reminder to do my homework before clicking (no I didn't bid on these, even if it was a real exotic, those are seriously ugly).
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post #13 of 22
1/27/12 at 6:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LooknGr8 View Post

shows how much brand names meant in the 1970s.
And an object lesson for hair-trigger eBay bidders like me, a reminder to do my homework before clicking (no I didn't bid on these, even if it was a real exotic, those are seriously ugly).

the 70's was the real introduction of a major influx of faux exotics in the US market. Up thru the 1960's, the US was the supplier of top quality Gator skins for shoes made around the world.
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post #14 of 22
1/27/12 at 1:28pm
Thread Starter 
I can't help draw a parallel now to the "high fashion fake fur" revolution spawned by card-carrying PETA celebrity members who propagate "fashion."

THere's a lot of scary-looking junk out there. I'm not a diehard fur advocate, but damn, there's some really plasticky crap passing for fur. Why bother?

Oh. Did I mention? My grandfather raised a family of 4 kids during the Depression running a fox farm? I have no idea how they made it, but they did. Here's a 1930s pic of him in the local paper.

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post #15 of 22
1/27/12 at 3:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LooknGr8 View Post

I can't help draw a parallel now to the "high fashion fake fur" revolution spawned by card-carrying PETA celebrity members who propagate "fashion."
THere's a lot of scary-looking junk out there. I'm not a diehard fur advocate, but damn, there's some really plasticky crap passing for fur. Why bother?
Oh. Did I mention? My grandfather raised a family of 4 kids during the Depression running a fox farm? I have no idea how they made it, but they did. Here's a 1930s pic of him in the local paper.
209

good story. The U.S. has always been fascinated with "alternative materials". Sometimes to save money (and pass off as the "real thing"), but ALSO as a "high-end" selling point. In the 1940's, some shoemakers favored top quality faux gator & croc in order to have matching skin patterns on both shoes. In the 1960's DuPont's Corfam was used as a leather alternative... and cost MUCH more money than genuine leather (and was waterproof to boot). Of course it looked like plastic, so the venture eventually failed.
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