Dacks and other Canadian shoe brands

[lbgradwell]

I was playing around with the Wayback Machine tonight and stumbled on some pages from the old dack's website from 2007...

 

[lbgradwell]

Note the price increases by 2009...

 

[Paul902]

That there is gold, LG! It is interesting to me that most of the Dack models I find thrifting do not seem to match these styles, and are older. I wonder if sales numbers were really tailing off by 2000s.

 

[lbgradwell]

You're probably correct about reduced sales, Paul.

Even the downloadable brochure referenced in the Craftsmanship page above is still available!

https://web.archive.org/web/20071010094159/http://www.dacks-shoes.com/dacks_brochure.pdf

 

[Paul902]

Prairie Oxhide anyone? It is Wing Tip Wednesday, Dack Bond Street for the win!

 

[suitforcourt]

Hartt LWBs for dinner.

 

[lbgradwell]

Today's arrival...

A lovely pair of Dack's 2392 Brown Zebu Grain U-Tip in 12E. That extra width will help given they're oxfords.

I haven't done a thing to them yet apart from putting in the trees, but they arrived in excellent condition.

As you can see, they feature the 7-nail soles marked "Bespoke Quality, Hand Benched " (as opposed to the later "Bespoke Quality, Extra Quality" as well as the diamond logo tag.

Can someone refresh my memory as to the estimated date range of shoes featuring this diamond tag?

 

[Paul902]

LG, those are stunning! Pains me to think of the ZebU-wings that slipped out of my hands from @Jiqea .

Here is a fictional conversation that may have taken place at Florsheim:
Man1 - we need a gorgeous, bison longwing with unique brogues on a continuous piece of leather.
Man2 - better call McHale up in Canada!

 

[Jiqea]

Today's arrival...

A lovely pair of Dack's 2392 Brown Zebu Grain U-Tip in 12E. That extra width will help given they're oxfords.


View attachment 1186754

View attachment 1186756

View attachment 1186757



I haven't done a thing to them yet apart from putting in the trees, but they arrived in excellent condition.



View attachment 1186758

View attachment 1186759



As you can see, they feature the 7-nail soles marked "Bespoke Quality, Hand Benched " (as opposed to the later "Bespoke Quality, Extra Quality" as well as the diamond logo tag.

Can someone refresh my memory as to the estimated date range of shoes featuring this diamond tag?

I have the same shoe in 10D. All true Dacks lovers have a pair of Zebu U-wings!

 

[lbgradwell]

LG, those are stunning! Pains me to think of the ZebU-wings that slipped out of my hands from @Jiqea

Thanks Paul. I'm confident a pair that fit will find their way to your closet some day!

I have the same shoe in 10D. All true Dacks lovers have a pair of Zebu U-wings!

Or they should!

I now have this set, thanks to a black pair I acquired from...you!

 

[lbgradwell]

Here is a fictional conversation that may have taken place at Florsheim:
Man1 - we need a gorgeous, bison longwing with unique brogues on a continuous piece of leather.
Man2 - better call McHale up in Canada!

View attachment 1186848 View attachment 1186849 View attachment 1186850

Wonderful! There seems to be no end of the models I'd like to own even from the Canadian producers...

 

[Paul902]

Today's arrival...

A lovely pair of Dack's 2392 Brown Zebu Grain U-Tip in 12E. That extra width will help given they're oxfords.


View attachment 1186754

View attachment 1186756

View attachment 1186757



I haven't done a thing to them yet apart from putting in the trees, but they arrived in excellent condition.



View attachment 1186758

View attachment 1186759



As you can see, they feature the 7-nail soles marked "Bespoke Quality, Hand Benched " (as opposed to the later "Bespoke Quality, Extra Quality" as well as the diamond logo tag.

Can someone refresh my memory as to the estimated date range of shoes featuring this diamond tag?

It is interesting how on that pair the Dack logo is old-school on the sole, but newer in the diamond. I wonder if it was just around the time the logo changed.

 

[lbgradwell]

It is interesting how on that pair the Dack logo is old-school on the sole, but newer in the diamond. I wonder if it was just around the time the logo changed.

I'd say that's a better-than-fair guess. Have we seen any diamonds with the earlier logo?

I also notice there were at least three patterns to the broguing on the toes over time. Two are above and this example from the VSA site:

 

[Paul902]

I think your brown pair takes the medallion competition. I love how there are brogue holes at the top of the tongue. The slippery pair had that, too.

 

[Paul902]

Joining @Jiqea, AKA The Lizard King with a very nice pair of 10.5D lizard loafers. It is "Imported Lizard" because the local lizards never made it through the NB winters. These have the 150th logo sock liner, putting them in the 1984-87 timeframe. Single leather soles marked "Extra Quality."