Dacks and other Canadian shoe brands

[suitforcourt]

I had a nice pair of John McHales arrive today from France, where they were no doubt worn by an expatriate Canadian, shuffling along the streets of Paris, humming Les Feuilles Mortes and thinking of his lost summer love.

Like many of these shoes they had too much dark brown polish on them, so I removed that with Renomat, washed, moisterized and then gave them a light polish. They have the Custom Shoe sock-liner and likely date to the late 60's. A size 12D and heavy!!!!

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Are you looking to sell? A friend is looking for this very pair. Will PM you.

 

[Jiqea]

I received this lovely pair of black cap-toe, triple soled John McHale Oxfords, via Forum members @goatamous and @Paul902 this week. They are marked mid-shoe on the insoles as John McHales, but the sock-liner reads "Scott Elmes, Hand Sewn". Scott Elmes was one of the proprietors of Owens-Elmes, a very high end retailer/manufacturer of leather goods in Toronto, dating back to 1919. The soles of the shoes are stamped Owens-Elmes near the heel. Owens-Elmes primarily dealt in woman's shoes, gloves, purses etc, but also carried a line of quality men's shoes.

I believe the shoes date to the late 1940's, as McHale only advertised "Hand Sewn" with regard to their John McHale shoes between 1946 and 1949. As well the large metal eyelets are typical of the John McHale offerings from these years. The first advertisement for the John McHale signature shoes date to 1944, shortly after the passing of Francis Scott (of Scott-McHale).

I am cleaning some goop off the insoles left by some old foam inserts, and should have photos to add soon. I will also have more to post on Owens-Elmes and John McHale early next week. Something rather quite remarkable. Stay tuned.

 

[Dit_rich]

What a week this was! Thrifted Florsheim (made in India but in ONS condition), then AE Strandmok (hardly worn, but need some work on painted finish AE use on these) and today Salvation Army surprised me with these Dacks. All three are in my size, keepers.
Dacks right off the self, uncleaned yet.

Looking forward to get them cleaned and conditioned and shiny again. )))

 

[Jiqea]

What a week this was! Thrifted Florsheim (made in India but in ONS condition), then AE Strandmok (hardly worn, but need some work on painted finish AE use on these) and today Salvation Army surprised me with these Dacks. All three are in my size, keepers.
Dacks right off the self, uncleaned yet.
View attachment 1333586 View attachment 1333587 View attachment 1333588 View attachment 1333589 View attachment 1333590 Looking forward to get them cleaned and conditioned and shiny again. )))

My size too!!!!

 

[Jiqea]

Any information concerning Dacks prior to 1920 is hard to come buy. While Robert Dack ran a successful business manufacturing and retailing high end men's footwear, he was not active in industry associations, nor did he advertize his products in newspaper or magazines. This changed in a major way when S.E Dack took over the firm in 1920. He started a major national advertizing campaign and by 1923 Dacks had opened stores in Montreal and Winnipeg.

Because of the paucity of pre-1920 information concerning the company, it makes this 1915 photo of the Dack's storefront and factory and 71-73 King Street West in Toronto a very rare find indeed. Enjoy!

 

[dadjeans]

Spoiler: Pics

 

[LLEE]

Anyone ever see a pair of original Dack’s that wasn’t Goodyear welted? I have a pair I’m selling, and i would feel terrible if they weren’t welted if I claim they are.
Made in Fredricton, no discernible stitch, but I just can’t see them going the cemented route, even in the 90s.

 

[Paul902]

Anyone ever see a pair of original Dack’s that wasn’t Goodyear welted? I have a pair I’m selling, and i would feel terrible if they weren’t welted if I claim they are.
Made in Fredricton, no discernible stitch, but I just can’t see them going the cemented route, even in the 90s.

I have seen that quite a bit with loafers, and seldomly with lace-ups, too. Here, for example, is a pair of kangaroo derbies, quite early Bespokes, that are not GYW. I think they would have done this when they were looking for a very elegant design aesthetic, without a prominent welt. An antidote to McHale Bomber's, if you will.

Good on you for working for an accurate sales listing!

 

[Jiqea]

Here is an interesting little tidbit from a 1915 Shoe Journal that speaks to the invention of the shoe box in Canada 35 years earlier.

 

[Hotel Cali]

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Spoiler: Pics

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That's a very stylish pattern that work wear well with slim menswear today.

Nice find.

 

[Paul902]

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Spoiler: Pics

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Sweet! In the left shoe, is that a window with the Dack's logo? Are you lucky enough to be a 9.5D? Send me a PM if you are selling, please.

 

[dadjeans]

Sweet! In the left shoe, is that a window with the Dack's logo? Are you lucky enough to be a 9.5D? Send me a PM if you are selling, please.

Yes indeed, it's a window. Unfortunately, I'm a 10.5 F/EE in most Dack's I've tried so they're available. PM incoming!

 

[Paul902]

Here is an interesting little tidbit from a 1915 Shoe Journal that speaks to the invention of the shoe box in Canada 35 years earlier.

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That is very cool! I had no idea. Speaking of boxes, yesterday I received my first original Dack's shoe box. Unfortunately, the shoes inside were not as described. Not prairie but rather grainy calf, and not 9.5D, but rather 9.5E, so they will have to move on. Nice triple leather resole, however! If anyone ever finds a 9.5D 05452 Simcoe, please holler! Anyway, back to the box...cool to see the design, the handbenching logo, and the care description inside the lid.

Spoiler: More box pix

 

[goatamous]

Ask the seller if you can keep the box and return just the shoes for slightly less
Just because that box is pretty neat

 

[Jiqea]

That is very cool! I had no idea. Speaking of boxes, yesterday I received my first original Dack's shoe box. Unfortunately, the shoes inside were not as described. Not prairie but rather grainy calf, and not 9.5D, but rather 9.5E, so they will have to move on. Nice triple leather resole, however! If anyone ever finds a 9.5D 05452 Simcoe, please holler! Anyway, back to the box...cool to see the design, the handbenching logo, and the care description inside the lid.

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Spoiler: More box pix

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A little wrinkled, but I believe these are the bags the go with your box. I bet we can find the shoes too.