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Nettleton shoes.

post #1 of 35
8/9/04 at 6:26am
Thread Starter 
I the "how many shoes" thread Jerrysfriend had a very long list of his shoes. Surprisingly Nettleton shoes were not represented. The company went out of business at least 10, if not 20 years ago. I have never seen any of their shoes, but they were considered the superior American manufacturer (better than Alden, A-E, Florsheim, the lot). Maybe it's just an urban myth and they weren't that good at all (you know how the memory plays tricks: "they don't make "˜em like that any more). Does anybody on this list own a pair of Nettletons, maybe inherited from Dad, and are they really superior shoes?
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post #2 of 35
6/22/05 at 11:33pm
I owed a pair of Nettleton Cordovan Shoes year & years ago but their fit has remained my standard. I remember purchasing the shoes in Syracuse in 1981 or 82 at the factory store. I slipped my size 12's into them and told the sales person "I'll take them". I never looked at the price. I was married with a newborn at home. Translation I couldn't afford them but I got them. They shined like new until I finally threw them away in 1994 or 95. The upper finally split and was worn out. There have been many pairs of shoes but there has never been another pair of Nettleton's
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post #3 of 35
6/22/05 at 11:46pm
My sister ended up with a couple of pre-buyout Nettletons from, shall we say, an "estate" source. They were in great shape still in their boxes. To my untrained eye they were the equal of Alden, a very nice split toe. Sadly, they were too narrow for me (I think they were A's). She sold them on ebay, one pair to Japan. I think they probably were a great shoe company.
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post #4 of 35
3/17/09 at 4:45pm
i'd hear the legend of nettleton as well. bought a pair of vintage Nettleton Traditionals in brown gator from ebay, complete with boxes and bags. Styling was a little conservative, and surprisingly, workmanship and finish were not up to my expectations. Unlike my same model French Shriners (v-tip, split toe, lace-up bluchers), the edges on the vamps were not turned or piped. unevenly cut and sewn. perhaps these were late (all rubber soles) but from the style, had to be late 60's very early 70's at the latest. I've heard that their pebble longwings are the best, but I'm still looking. The pair I bought off ebay turned out to be a fake--terrible seller (meggakat) beware!
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post #5 of 35
3/17/09 at 5:08pm
it is funny how each reply was in a different year
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post #6 of 35
3/17/09 at 5:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dport86 View Post
i'd hear the legend of nettleton as well. bought a pair of vintage Nettleton Traditionals in brown gator from ebay, complete with boxes and bags. Styling was a little conservative, and surprisingly, workmanship and finish were not up to my expectations. Unlike my same model French Shriners (v-tip, split toe, lace-up bluchers), the edges on the vamps were not turned or piped. unevenly cut and sewn. perhaps these were late (all rubber soles) but from the style, had to be late 60's very early 70's at the latest. I've heard that their pebble longwings are the best, but I'm still looking. The pair I bought off ebay turned out to be a fake--terrible seller (meggakat) beware!

I am extremely dubious that anybody would fake NOS Nettletons.
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post #7 of 35
3/17/09 at 5:17pm
I just picked up my second pair of Nettletons, they are superb, shell plaintoe. I will post a pic in 2011, probably August. Watch for it.
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post #8 of 35
3/17/09 at 6:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarmac View Post
I just picked up my second pair of Nettletons, they are superb, shell plaintoe. I will post a pic in 2011, probably August. Watch for it.

*holds breath*
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post #9 of 35
3/17/09 at 6:38pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sho'nuff View Post
it is funny how each reply was in a different year

For me as the OP, back in 2004, it is interesting to see that the topic did get four replies today.
That is twice the number of replies it has gotten in the previous five years.

Talk about delayed reaction!
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post #10 of 35
3/17/09 at 6:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bengal-stripe View Post
For me as the OP, back in 2004, it is interesting to see that the topic did get four replies today.
That is twice the number of replies it has gotten in the previous five years.

Talk about delayed reaction!

Hi

Me too. I have four pairs and they seem to be of uniformly high quality and seem to be older styles. All of them are black, though.

I wonder if they guy above got a pair that were manufactured when they were trying to revive (or reuse) Nettleton--was that in the '80s or so?

-j
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post #11 of 35
3/17/09 at 7:00pm
One of my Nettletons came in a box, it does not look like it could be from the 70s. The design screams 1990ish.

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post #12 of 35
3/17/09 at 7:10pm
I think I have some Nettletons.

Or I might have sold them to distinctive. I hope he sees this and he'll remember.

If I still have them, any I'll take pictures later.

I remember them as very nice quality though I don't really know if you can say they were superior or not to Aldens.

Another oldie maker, I'm sure that I have is some NOS Franck Bros. shoes. These are real nice and appear at least as nice as Aldens to my untrained eyes. I'll try to take pictures of them.
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post #13 of 35
3/17/09 at 7:48pm
I've sold some older Nettletons, including a pair in shell. Good, sturdy American shoes.
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post #14 of 35
3/17/09 at 9:32pm
http://www.styleforum.net/showthread...ight=nettleton
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post #15 of 35
3/17/09 at 9:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarmac View Post
One of my Nettletons came in a box, it does not look like it could be from the 70s. The design screams 1990ish.



No box, but here are mine:









I have and have had some others. A forum Nettleton archive would be a good thing. I'll dig up pics of my others.

Keep in mind that later in life, Nettleton turned out some subpar shoes, but in its prime I doubt there were any better from a domestic maker.
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