Dacks and other Canadian shoe brands

[lbgradwell]

Gentlemen,

It has been quite some time since my last visit; life and circumstance often gets in the way...
After taking an extended break from shoes, I have recently acquired two pairs I hereby present for study.

Both models have been seen in this very thread.

Way back in 2018, Jim made this post on a unique style of Hartts - notable for the unusual broguing. I saw this pair on Poshmark a couple/few weeks ago, and the price was very reasonable, so they now live with me.

They are fully leather-lined and high quality, and I am happy to have them in my collection! This pair shows the original brownish-burgundy shade.

Has a date range for this sockliner been established (like the Dack's study)?

Speaking of Dack's, the second pair newly-arrived was also posted by Jim a few months after the first pair in this post.

These are simply wonderful, and also came from Poshmark. They are the 3-digit 766 model, and now represent the oldest pair in my collection.

Note the thin-script "Dack's" in the diamond tag, and the difference in the size and model printing from the pair posted by Jim.

I believe this is an earlier "transition" pair perhaps from as early as 1949.

Observations?

 

[suitforcourt]

Gentlemen,

It has been quite some time since my last visit; life and circumstance often gets in the way...
After taking an extended break from shoes, I have recently acquired two pairs I hereby present for study.

Both models have been seen in this very thread.

Way back in 2018, Jim made this post on a unique style of Hartts - notable for the unusual broguing. I saw this pair on Poshmark a couple/few weeks ago, and the price was very reasonable, so they now live with me.


View attachment 1890141


View attachment 1890133


View attachment 1890135


View attachment 1890137


View attachment 1890139


They are fully leather-lined and high quality, and I am happy to have them in my collection! This pair shows the original brownish-burgundy shade.

Has a date range for this sockliner been established (like the Dack's study)?

Speaking of Dack's, the second pair newly-arrived was also posted by Jim a few months after the first pair in this post.

These are simply wonderful, and also came from Poshmark. They are the 3-digit 766 model, and now represent the oldest pair in my collection.



View attachment 1890151


View attachment 1890145



View attachment 1890147


View attachment 1890149



Note the thin-script "Dack's" in the diamond tag, and the difference in the size and model printing from the pair posted by Jim.

I believe this is an earlier "transition" pair perhaps from as early as 1949.

Observations?

I love the Dacks! And good to see you back with us.

 

[lbgradwell]

While perusing a Toronto history site on Facetube recently, I came across this shot from 1930 showing the Dack's store on King Street. The caption of the photo says "King & York", but I believe it's closer to King & Bay.


1930:

...and Today, with the Canadian Bank of Commerce building the sole survivor :

 

[Jiqea]

Classic Canadian thrift store find from a few days ago, and I almost missed them because someone was trying on shoes in front of the shelf where they were sitting.

1950s S.E. Dack black "Harra calf" two eyelet derby shoes. I've never heard of Harra calf before but it looks great! They're in surprisingly good condition for a thrift store find, let alone a shoe of their age. I didn't have to do any restorative work to them, even the laces appear to be original. Unfortunately they're a size 8.5 C which is too small for me, this is the second pair of 50s shoes I've found in a local thrift store now and both are far too small for me which is a bit irritating.
View attachment 1880403
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The sole reads "Extra quality Dack's bench made".
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I am not sure how I missed this post! This is an exceptional pair. I looked and cant find an advert for them. A great find. Are they up for sale. Not my size. Likely post 1955 but no later than 1958.

 

[Jiqea]

While perusing a Toronto history site on Facetube recently, I came across this shot from 1930 showing the Dack's store on King Street. The caption of the photo says "King & York", but I believe it's closer to King & Bay.


1930:


View attachment 1891061


...and Today, with the Canadian Bank of Commerce building the sole survivor :



View attachment 1891063

I would love to find that sign!! I have walked past that location many times wondering exactly where the store was located.

 

[lbgradwell]

I would love to find that sign!! I have walked past that location many times wondering exactly where the store was located.

Wonder no more!

Here is a shot from 1912-3 showing the Bank of Toronto's brand new head office, the adjacent building to the west, and then the premises that would later be occupied by Dack's that has the O'Brien's Limited signage.

That sign you covet is still visible in this war-time shot from 1941 looking west:

Sadly, the choice signage had been replaced by a much less desirable version by the late 1950s and early 1960s, as can be seen in these two shots.

In any event, the two shots above pre-date 1965 as that is when the Bank of Toronto building was razed to start construction of the current TD Centre.

From looking at the various photos, I'd estimate the shop stood just about here:

 

[Jiqea]

Wonder no more!

Here is a shot from 1912-3 showing the Bank of Toronto's brand new head office, the adjacent building to the west, and then the premises that would later be occupied by Dack's that has the O'Brien's Limited signage.


View attachment 1891843



That sign you covet is still visible in this war-time shot from 1941 looking west:



View attachment 1891845



Sadly, the choice signage had been replaced by a much less desirable version by the late 1950s and early 1960s, as can be seen in these two shots.



View attachment 1891847

View attachment 1891849


In any event, the two shots above pre-date 1965 as that is when the Bank of Toronto building was razed to start construction of the current TD Centre.

From looking at the various photos, I'd estimate the shop stood just about here:



View attachment 1891853

Thanks. I have walked around in the TD centre, and even sat down on the couches there and figured I was pretty close to holy ground.

 

[Jiqea]

Wonder no more!

Here is a shot from 1912-3 showing the Bank of Toronto's brand new head office, the adjacent building to the west, and then the premises that would later be occupied by Dack's that has the O'Brien's Limited signage.


View attachment 1891843



That sign you covet is still visible in this war-time shot from 1941 looking west:



View attachment 1891845



Sadly, the choice signage had been replaced by a much less desirable version by the late 1950s and early 1960s, as can be seen in these two shots.



View attachment 1891847

View attachment 1891849


In any event, the two shots above pre-date 1965 as that is when the Bank of Toronto building was razed to start construction of the current TD Centre.

From looking at the various photos, I'd estimate the shop stood just about here:



View attachment 1891853

Here is the storefront in 1915

 

[Jiqea]

Gentlemen,

It has been quite some time since my last visit; life and circumstance often gets in the way...
After taking an extended break from shoes, I have recently acquired two pairs I hereby present for study.

Both models have been seen in this very thread.

Way back in 2018, Jim made this post on a unique style of Hartts - notable for the unusual broguing. I saw this pair on Poshmark a couple/few weeks ago, and the price was very reasonable, so they now live with me.


View attachment 1890131


View attachment 1890133


View attachment 1890135


View attachment 1890137


View attachment 1890139


They are fully leather-lined and high quality, and I am happy to have them in my collection! This pair shows the original brownish-burgundy shade.

Has a date range for this sockliner been established (like the Dack's study)?

Speaking of Dack's, the second pair newly-arrived was also posted by Jim a few months after the first pair in this post.

These are simply wonderful, and also came from Poshmark. They are the 3-digit 766 model, and now represent the oldest pair in my collection.


View attachment 1890291


View attachment 1890151


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View attachment 1890145



View attachment 1890147


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Note the thin-script "Dack's" in the diamond tag, and the difference in the size and model printing from the pair posted by Jim.

I believe this is an earlier "transition" pair perhaps from as early as 1949.

Observations?

I agree 100% with your dating. I wonder if they were made even before Dacks received the first shipment of their proprietary, new logo "Dacks" heels. I see no evidence that the heel was replaced, but they might have been. Perhaps they were owned by an ancestor of Ken, who hated nailed heels and replaced them with Cat's Paws. I have not seen enough pairs from the 40's to say what rubber heel was used then. They look like they were "inside shoes" based on the wear. Do you think the heels are original?

Dacks shoes from the 40's, pre sale of the firm, are extraordinarily rare. I believe I have seen two pairs that were without doubt pre 1948 (along with 6-8 pairs of the WW1 era riding/officer boots). This is the third or fourth pair of these "transition" shoes that I have seen. Such a wonderful find. Truly beautiful shoes!! Welcome back Lorne. I hope all is well.

 

[VintageZealot]

I am not sure how I missed this post! This is an exceptional pair. I looked and cant find an advert for them. A great find. Are they up for sale. Not my size. Likely post 1955 but no later than 1958.

Thank you! They aren't for sale yet but I do plan to sell them eventually once I work out how to sell things online and get that together. Late 50s was my guess for them as well, the style looked late 50s or early 60s but I had seen you say that the S.E. Dack line ended around 1958 so I knew they weren't any newer than that.

 

[lbgradwell]

I agree 100% with your dating. I wonder if they were made even before Dacks received the first shipment of their proprietary, new logo "Dacks" heels. I see no evidence that the heel was replaced, but they might have been. Perhaps they were owned by an ancestor of Ken, who hated nailed heels and replaced them with Cat's Paws. I have not seen enough pairs from the 40's to say what rubber heel was used then. They look like they were "inside shoes" based on the wear. Do you think the heels are original?

Dacks shoes from the 40's, pre sale of the firm, are extraordinarily rare. I believe I have seen two pairs that were without doubt pre 1948 (along with 6-8 pairs of the WW1 era riding/officer boots). This is the third or fourth pair of these "transition" shoes that I have seen. Such a wonderful find. Truly beautiful shoes!! Welcome back Lorne. I hope all is well.

I don't believe the heels are original, Jim.

I purchased the shoes from the grandson of the original owner. I believe grandpa had the Cat's Paws added shortly before he stopped wearing the shoes altogether (as the heels have little wear).

I have seen two other pairs of this 766 model, and you own (or owned) one of those. The other pair was purchased as NOS at a yard sale for $2. (Yeah, I know.)

Both your pair and the pair found by the lady in question were produced subsequent to mine as both pairs have the red-diamond tag with the new, thick-script logo. But both pairs were issued with stacked-leather suicide heels.

Yours:

...and hers:

I can't imagine that mine would have been issued with the Cat's Paws only for later pairs to be stacked leather.

Although the diamond in mine have the earlier thin-script Dack's logo, I can't tell is the fabric is red or black!

And, although my pair has a sockliner with a thick-script Dack's logo, a close inspection shows it to be different that the later two pairs. Look at the bottom curve of the "D" in "Dack's".

Mine:

Yours & hers:

But the yard sale pair bought by the woman came in a box that DID feature the same, newer, thick-script logo as my pair!

It was obviously a time of flux for Dack's.

When I speculated to the grandson that I thought his grandfather's shoes might have been from 1949, he replied that the date dovetailed with grandpa's graduation from UofT and his first job at Kodak!

 

[lbgradwell]

And now that I've posted the above, I notice the soles of both your pair and the woman's BOTH feature BOTH versions of the new logo.

 

[Jiqea]

I don't believe the heels are original, Jim.

I purchased the shoes from the grandson of the original owner. I believe grandpa had the Cat's Paws added shortly before he stopped wearing the shoes altogether (as the heels have little wear).

I have seen two other pairs of this 766 model, and you own (or owned) one of those. The other pair was purchased as NOS at a yard sale for $2. (Yeah, I know.)

Both your pair and the pair found by the lady in question were produced subsequent to mine as both pairs have the red-diamond tag with the new, thick-script logo. But both pairs were issued with stacked-leather suicide heels.

Yours:


View attachment 1892495


...and hers:


View attachment 1892499



I can't imagine that mine would have been issued with the Cat's Paws only for later pairs to be stacked leather.

Although the diamond in mine have the earlier thin-script Dack's logo, I can't tell is the fabric is red or black!

And, although my pair has a sockliner with a thick-script Dack's logo, a close inspection shows it to be different that the later two pairs. Look at the bottom curve of the "D" in "Dack's".

Mine:



View attachment 1892501


Yours & hers:


View attachment 1892505



View attachment 1892507


But the yard sale pair bought by the woman came in a box that DID feature the same, newer, thick-script logo as my pair!


View attachment 1892515


It was obviously a time of flux for Dack's.

When I speculated to the grandson that I thought his grandfather's shoes might have been from 1949, he replied that the date dovetailed with grandpa's graduation from UofT and his first job at Kodak!


View attachment 1892527

I sold the NOS pair to Brett Viberg a few years ago. I have another pair that have been kicking around the house for a few years. My size but need a recraft, as they have been resoled once or twice before. I love the patina but I am cheap and I don't like the nicks on the toe caps. Your pair is the finest pair of Canadian shoes that I have seen in some time. The pair pictured below have the new logo in the red diamond.

I believe the yard sale shoes and mine are the same pair. Look at the interior shot and the diagonal mark near the waste. Same size as well.

 

[lbgradwell]

I believe the yard sale shoes and mine are the same pair. Look at the interior shot and the diagonal mark near the waste. Same size as well.

LOL! I believe you're absolutely correct!

That explains why "two" absolutely pristine NOS pairs exist...

 

[Jiqea]

I was cleaning up my mid 50's S.E. Dack Cambridge U-wings this morning to get ready for spring. They are one of the few pairs of Dacks that I own that can compare with the @lbgradwell pair of Custom Grade 50's Dacks posted above.

Looking at my pair got me looking at others posted online and resulted in me noticing something I had not picked up on before.

Previously I had noted that the Cambridges made from 1952-to mid '59 had a finer "flying moth" toe medallion, while the later version had a heavier brogued medallion (see below). But in looking an a 150 Anniversary pair today listed on eBay, I noticed that the medallion had changed again to a finer design, albeit different from the 50's version. I own versions of the first two iterations. Now I need to fine an anniversary pair in my size.

As an ancillary note, they did not start making this model in black until the early 60's.

My mid 50's S.E. Dack pair

The 50's medallion side by side with the medallion used From late 59 through at least the 1980

A pair of 150 Anniversary Cambridge U-wings (late '83-87)