Bespoke cleverly shoes on ebay

[kabert]

Eat 'em up. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....2972118

 

[jcusey]

Doesn't look like they were ever worn. You wonder why someone would spend that much money for shoes he never worn. Especially when they're so beautiful, the color notwithstanding.

 

[bengal-stripe]

Where have they sprung from?

The label states "Cork Street"; that's the shop old Mr Cleverley used to run from 1958-1976.
Who gets bespoke shoes, never wears them and keeps them in a cupboard for 30 or more years?

"Curioser and curioser", said Alice.

 

[Thracozaag]

I have my doubts as to that provenance.

koji

 

[jcusey]

I have my doubts as to that provenance.

Why would anyone counterfeit a pair of Cleverley shoes? Where's the profit in that?

 

[Thracozaag]

I think they're RTW, not bespoke..... Look at these shoes off of the website..identical: http://www.gjcleverley.co.uk/stock/bltown1.gif

 

[Will]

Currently, a pair of new Cleverley bespoke in calf is less than $3,000 without VAT, though the "$4,000" in this listing could be eBay seller puffery.

I'm not aware of any definitive way to tell if the shoes are bespoke without seeing the writing inside, but these do not look to my eye like RTW. The way the inside of the shoe is built higher than the outside is characteristic of a bespoke shoe.

Will

 

[jcusey]

Until any of us examines the shoes, none of us can say for sure. However, I've never known this particular seller to be anything other than honest, and he certainly knows bespoke shoes when he sees them. (And no, I'm not him, and I'm not financially connected to him in any way.)

 

[shoefan]

Interesting auction. Â The shoes trees, with the owner's initials, would seem to connote bespoke. Â The curved, rather than rectangular, tab on the back of the shoe seems to connote RTW (at least according to the closer I spent time with). In any event, why would anyone want to spend this kind of money on shoes made for someone else? Â See also these bespoke Lobbs and Cleverleys, which sold for pretty high $. lobb bespokes Lobb bespoke 2 cleverley bespoke

 

[A Harris]

They are bespoke - the waist, sole, custom shape and shoe trees are unmistakeable. Check out the other two pairs that he already sold: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....2972101 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....2972119 Wowza..

 

[A Harris]

Shoefan (only just) beat me to it

 

[jcusey]

In any event, why would anyone want to spend this kind of money on shoes made for someone else?

I'd buy them, not to wear, of course, but as examples of artistry and craftsmanship. I wouldn't spend anywhere near the kind of money that these seems to be bringing, but I'd pay something.

 

[A Harris]

I've got those brown Henry Maxwell cap-toes somebody posted about a month or so back (Thanks) sitting on a shelf here for that reason. Nice example of craftsmanship. I've been tempted to keep other bespoke shoes but they were worth too much so I sold them.

 

[Thracozaag]

Bespoke Cleverly's should have the signature chisel-toe (to entice me to purchase them).

koji

 

[kabert]

The high price gotten for these shoes is a function, IMO, of (i) very, very high retail price listed ($5000) -- who knows if the buyers know the truth, (ii) references to being bespoke, not RTW -- viewed as more of a handmade product, and (iii) good pictures. Having good feedback helps too. Notice that most new Lobbs on EBay sell for no more than $500 -- thus, this guy has done pretty well.

By the way, in the last 5 months, I have bought 3 pairs of used Lobbs on Ebay -- 1 was RTW and 2 were bespoke. In each case, the seller had done a good job of listing the shoes' exact measurements. Also, I would guess that more than 90% of people get bespoke because they can, not because they have deformed, etc. feet that would lead to the shoes being unwearable by someone else. The bespoke shoes I've found have fit amazingly well.