Dacks and other Canadian shoe brands

[Jiqea]

I am on a constant lookout for vintage Dack's, Florsheim, Hartt's and Church's due to this forum and collectively all the advice and observations make for education and entertainment! I have a quandary are these vintage or more recent since they are Made in Canada I thought they would be prior to the move to British manufacturing?
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Made in Canada post 1987. Likely from the 90's. I need to pin down when that New Brunswick stamp was used.

 

[Paul902]

I am on a constant lookout for vintage Dack's, Florsheim, Hartt's and Church's due to this forum and collectively all the advice and observations make for education and entertainment! I have a quandary are these vintage or more recent since they are Made in Canada I thought they would be prior to the move to British manufacturing?
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Patrick, @Jiqea has an excellent guide to Dack's sock liner dating posted maybe 10-20 pages back. A search will turn it up for you.

I have always felt the NB stamp was very late production. I see it in conjunction with the more padded insole arches, and the most pristine finds. There are examples of this same liner logo and padded arch, and the sole stamped with a maple leaf but marked Canada, not NB Canada, as with these PTBs I have. These have a fairly uncommon heel, too, which may be a dating clue.

 

[Jiqea]

Last week was the winter of my discontent, at least with regard to thrifting. However this week has started out as the best of times.

While the shelves were in disarray from the Sunday shoppers, this pair of 1970's NOS Hartt Gold Bonds plain-toe derbys (11.5D) nearly jumped into my arms. They are a very heavy shoe with nice thick scotch grain calf. I also found a pair of rare as unicorn crap Hartt cap-toe boots that I will post after I get them cleaned up. A Dickens of a start to the week in Gloucester!

.

 

[Jiqea]

Well here are the boots I mentioned in my last post. They were built by Hartt or Dacks, as they have the characteristic coding and the Custom Grade Made in Canada stamp on the sole. The sock liners are original but unmarked, making me think this may have been a Police boot. They are very well made with 12 nail double soles and the lower boot is entirely leather lined. Size 11.5D. I suspect these boots are at least from the 70's.

 

[lbgradwell]

While the shelves were in disarray from the Sunday shoppers, this pair of 1970's NOS Hartt Gold Bonds plain-toe derbys (11.5D) nearly jumped into my arms. They are a very heavy shoe with nice thick scotch grain calf.

Made in England?

 

[Jiqea]

Made in England?

Yes, they are from old Blighty. Combo last D/E. Exterior 12.5 x 4 3/8 inches. Interior 11 3/8ths

 

[Paul902]

Made in England?

My Dacks Bond St size 8's are.

 

[lbgradwell]

I've yet to encounter a pair with the Phillips heels that aren't English.

 

[mackbrad]

Well here are the boots I mentioned in my last post. They were built by Hartt or Dacks, as they have the characteristic coding and the Custom Grade Made in Canada stamp on the sole. The sock liners are original but unmarked, making me think this may have been a Police boot. They are very well made with 12 nail double soles and the lower boot is entirely leather lined. Size 11.5D. I suspect these boots are at least from the 70's.

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These are gobstopping

 

[lbgradwell]

Can't remember if I've ever posted this...

Phillips Rubber Soles 1918-19:

And 1944:

 

[PatrickS]

Church's they seem to be well made other than that made in England no idea of age.

 

[Dit_rich]

I agree with @Jiqea that they are not camel, but I think they are prairie oxhide, not calf, especially because of the way there are dark grain ripples on the toe piece. To wit, my own Bond St are not marked as exotics, either. Here are some pics with the similar coding, for comparison. Show us some more pics after you've finished treating them, please. Enjoy!

Coming back to these. Here they are after some love and a LOT of conditioning applied (glycerin treatment, two rounds of Lexol and one of Venetian balm, also used Lexol cleaner which is a kind of a conditioner). I called them semi-seriously as a camel ones, mostly because of the color. I do think they are not calf because of the leather pattern, but I am not an expert and English codes are a mystery to me. Also even after that much of treatment the leather remained somewhat stiff, not calf like...
...Missed the picture when it says Made in England on the insole, but it's there...

 

[Jiqea]

Coming back to these. Here they are after some love and a LOT of conditioning applied (glycerin treatment, two rounds of Lexol and one of Venetian balm, also used Lexol cleaner which is a kind of a conditioner). I called them semi-seriously as a camel ones, mostly because of the color. I do think they are not calf because of the leather pattern, but I am not an expert and English codes are a mystery to me. Also even after that much of treatment the leather remained somewhat stiff, not calf like...
...Missed the picture when it says Made in England on the insole, but it's there...
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Much improved! I think they are some sort of bison; exotic for sure and not calf. I will do an archive search on Cheaney tomorrow and see if I can come up with a name. Fine looking shoes. For some reason I have found moving apron toes a bit of a struggle. I like them, and if they had split toes they would be even better.

 

[Dit_rich]

For some reason I have found moving apron toes a bit of a struggle.

I was skeptical myself picking them up but kind of developed a likening at list working on them. Feel sorry I have no reason to keep them. But I see what you mean.

 

[lbgradwell]

They look great and I personally love the style.