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Russian Leather shoes.....

MoosicPa

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These arrived today from New & Lingwood, made from the 1786 Russian Leather that has been raised from seabed off Cornwall....











with a pair of loafers I had purchased earlier......



Thanks for looking.
 

MyOtherLife

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Congratulations and may you enjoy them in good health.
Question: Considering its age, would there be any special care instructions for this leather?
 

Len

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George Glasgow made mine at Cleverley. I've had them for around 15 years. No special need required. You just have to enjoy them as the patina increases.

Logsdail
 

MoosicPa

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Congratulations and may you enjoy them in good health.
Question: Considering its age, would there be any special care instructions for this leather?


I treat mine the Saphir leather Balm after every third wear... otherwise nothing special.
 

MoosicPa

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The G. Cleverley loafers in Russian leather I ordered back in August arrived this week.... I'm very pleased with the final product.....













 
G

Griffindork

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Mine are cleverley Adelaide's made by George Glasgow. I would consider the fit to be good rather than great, but I love the look of the Russian leather.

1000
 

MoosicPa

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Mine are cleverley Adelaide's made by George Glasgow. I would consider the fit to be good rather than great, but I love the look of the Russian leather.


Very nice oxfords. I have become addicted to the Russian leather, this is my 5th pair of shoes and I have a briefcase made of the stuff from cleverley.
 

MoosicPa

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looking forward to seeing the gladstone join this bunch.


I have to take some pictures, hopefully this weekend I will post them.
 

chogall

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The so limited stock of Russian leathers hiding on the sunken ship sounds like crude oil. It's something that has sooo limited quantities but never runs out.

And now even used in mass manufactured RTW shoes!
 

Journeyman

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The so limited stock of Russian leathers hiding on the sunken ship sounds like crude oil.  It's something that has sooo limited quantities but never runs out. 

And now even used in mass manufactured RTW shoes!


I think that it pays to be very careful when talking about Russian leather, as there are a couple of different kinds.

There's the Russian reindeer leather that was recovered from the sunken Danish brigantine, the Metta Catherina. The supply of that is limited, it is expensive, and is only available (as far as I am aware) as MTO, rather than RTW, at least in regard to shoes and luggage.

Then there's Russian calf leather. This is not old, nor special, nor limited, but is instead calf leather than has been printed in a crosshatch pattern to resemble the famous Russian reindeer leather. I know that Alfred Sargent, for one, sell "Russian calf" shoes - there are a couple of examples here and here.

I've seen plenty of RTW shoes in Russian calf, but no RTW shoes in the Russian reindeer - although I'm very happy to be corrected.

I think that the confusion is intensified by the fact that the Russian reindeer is sometimes referred to as Russian calf (possibly because young reindeer are also referred to as calves).
 
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chogall

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I think that it pays to be very careful when talking about Russian leather, as there are a couple of different kinds.

There's the Russian reindeer leather that was recovered from the sunken Danish brigantine, the Metta Catherina. The supply of that is limited, it is expensive, and is only available (as far as I am aware) as MTO, rather than RTW, at least in regard to shoes and luggage.

Then there's Russian calf leather. This is not old, nor special, nor limited, but is instead calf leather than has been printed in a crosshatch pattern to resemble the famous Russian reindeer leather. I know that Alfred Sargent, for one, sell "Russian calf" shoes - there are a couple of examples here and here.

I've seen plenty of RTW shoes in Russian calf, but no RTW shoes in the Russian reindeer - although I'm very happy to be corrected.

I think that the confusion is intensified by the fact that the Russian reindeer is sometimes referred to as Russian calf (possibly because young reindeer are also referred to as calves).

I am not talking about hatch grain. I am talking about those mystic russian reindeer leather or whatever you call them. Supply is limited but never seems to run out. Sounds like those peak oil theory if you ask me.

Call them MTO if you will but they goes through the same manufacturing floor as the rest of the EGs.
 

bengal-stripe

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There's the Russian reindeer leather that was recovered from the sunken Danish brigantine, the Metta Catherina. The supply of that is limited, it is expensive, and is only available (as far as I am aware) as MTO, rather than RTW, at least in regard to shoes and luggage.


When the wreck of the "Metta Catherina" was discovered in 1973, the Duchy of Cornwall gave maybe a dozen of leather-working firms access to the hides. It is understandable, that in the intervening 40 years a number of those original firms are no longer in business.

One of them is the leather worker Athene English

http://www.atheneenglish.com/2010/03/29/200-year-old-russian-reindeer-leather/

New & Lingwood (possibly through the acquisition of bespoke shoemaker Poulsen Skone), was another one of those original firms and have produced bespoke and ready-to-wear shoes in the material ever since. At one time they stocked RTW shoes (made by C&J) in the material; it is possible, that in recent years they have been only available as made-to-order.

The Cleverley firm (founded in 1993) through it's founders George Glasgow and John Carnera (former N&L employees) has had access to the material right from the start and has managed to become the distributor of the material. I believe, all other firms have to get it now through Cleverley.

Supply is limited but never seems to run out.  Sounds like those peak oil theory if you ask me.



It's rather like the loaves and the fishes ("feeding the multitude") in the bible or the old Volkswagen advertising: it goes on.....and on.....and one.

Apparently there are a great number of hides still inside the wreck, but the original divers, due to age, have decided not to dive any longer. But then, who knows, in a few years time, there might be another generation of divers who bring up the goodies out of the Plymouth sound mud.
 

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