Johnson and Murphy shoes: Quality and appropriate price point?

[gorgekko]

Evening y'all. I did a search on this but nothing came up so I ask here for the ages: Johnson and Murphy shoes, what kind of quality do they feature and what is an appropriate price point for them?

My thanks in advance.

 

[MetroStyles]

I can't give you a detailed answer but try searching for Johnston & Murphy, I'm sure there is something out there. You just forgot the "t".

 

[gorgekko]

Well, colour me embarassed. Thanks very much!

Short answer: They seem to be a low-end manufacturer.

 

[edmorel]

Originally Posted by gorgekko

Well, colour me embarassed. Thanks very much!

Short answer: They seem to be a low-end manufacturer.

Here in the States. In Japan, they sell these welted shoes on nice lasts.

 

[DocHolliday]

Ed, is the quality in Japan any better than it is here? Those are handsome shoes, and it would be a shame if they were the same caliber as what we get.

I have one pair of J&Ms that I paid $50 for, and I doubt I'd pay that much again. Certainly not retail.

 

[Vintage Gent]

Once upon a time, when their production was in the states, they were well regarded. Although I've never seen one in the flesh, others have reported that a vintage pair (particularly a deadstock vintage pair) is quite a find.

 

[edmorel]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

Ed, is the quality in Japan any better than it is here? Those are handsome shoes, and it would be a shame if they were the same caliber as what we get.

I have one pair of J&Ms that I paid $50 for, and I doubt I'd pay that much again. Certainly not retail.

I have no first hand experience but given that they have a spread in Last magazine where it shows a retail price of over $300 and given the Japanese love affair with shoes, I think that there is a good chance that these are made to a AE-type of quality. They seem to have a sleeker last, better leather and soles than the crap that is sold here. They are "crown aristocraft" and when I asked the NY store about them, the salespeople had no idea what I was talking about. Here is a used pair on ebay. The shape and soles look better than what I've seen in current models.
http://cgi.ebay.com/JOHNSTON-MURPHY-...QQcmdZViewItem

 

[EL72]

Nevermind the Crown Aristocrafts. There are still some J&M Handmades out there if you can find them (I saw a few pairs at Bennies in Atlanta last week) and they are, as Ken Pollock says, magnificent shoes. Some of the ones I saw were full brogues with the soles extending outward in a square-like shape until the waist where they tapered closer to the uppers. I don't know how to describe this well or what the technical term is (batwing shoes??) but they are very different yet very nice. All J&M Handmades are very high quality shoes and bear no resemblance whatsoever to the current crap they produce for the US mkt or even the Aristocrafts.

 

[Dan-]

I had a pair of Johnston and Murphies that fell apart after less than a year. The rubber sole split from the rest of the shoe, so I assume the glue failed. Crap shoes either way, even if they were comfortable.

 

[sho'nuff]

i did not know j&ms were that bad. I had a pair of skechers dress shoes in rubber soles that did the same thing. the soles just split in half.and my socks were showing through.
that goes to show how good quality, some other brands are, while not so highly regarded, i have a rubber soled bit loafer from ferragamo that i beat the heck out of at work and on every type of pavement. and over a year, with sometimes consecutive days wearing, they still are solid soles, and the uppers and insoles great condition. they truly have a patina now that i have polished them so much. they are beaten up but still gleaming but not in a bad beaten up look, but in a kind of vintage leather type of beaten up look.

 

[Chris "Italia"]

Originally Posted by EL72

Nevermind the Crown Aristocrafts. There are still some J&M Handmades out there if you can find them (I saw a few pairs at Bennies in Atlanta last week) and they are, as Ken Pollock says, magnificent shoes. Some of the ones I saw were full brogues with the soles extending outward in a square-like shape until the waist where they tapered closer to the uppers. I don't know how to describe this well or what the technical term is (batwing shoes??) but they are very different yet very nice. All J&M Handmades are very high quality shoes and bear no resemblance whatsoever to the current crap they produce for the US mkt or even the Aristocrafts.


Shame the Johnston and Murphy don't bring in the handmades here.

 

[Christofuh]

Aristocraft line is made up of a tiny handful of models that are still produced in the States ( presumably of English calf). These shoes seem to have a peculiar look to them as though they were lifted from the 1930-40s. Are they worth $350 ? For that price I'd rather be shopping with Alden for their comparatively modern look and tank-like build quality.
Presently J & M sells shoes from all over: India, China, Romania, Mexico, Brazil, Italy and Gawd knows where else. Recently they even added Mezlan slip-ons to their casual line.
Models available in Japan could very well be somebody else's product rebadged as J & M. Or they may have had an arrangement, similiar to that of Alden, with retailers where they'd do a run of X-number of pairs in pre-selected styles. Not unlike these puppies:

 

[acidboy]

Originally Posted by Chris "Italia"

Shame the Johnston and Murphy don't bring in the handmades here.

yes. why is that so?

 

[j]

Originally Posted by EL72

Nevermind the Crown Aristocrafts. There are still some J&M Handmades out there if you can find them (I saw a few pairs at Bennies in Atlanta last week) and they are, as Ken Pollock says, magnificent shoes. Some of the ones I saw were full brogues with the soles extending outward in a square-like shape until the waist where they tapered closer to the uppers. I don't know how to describe this well or what the technical term is (batwing shoes??) but they are very different yet very nice. All J&M Handmades are very high quality shoes and bear no resemblance whatsoever to the current crap they produce for the US mkt or even the Aristocrafts.
Spade soles. Faustian Bargain, IIRC, had a pair of these.

I've seen the Aristocraft around at the thrifts. They are on par with AE or maybe Alden. Pretty standard conservative business styling. I would expect a Brooks Bros. customer to wear them.

The regular line, from what I've seen, is passable style-wise, but obviously a poor value as they will not hold up like a pair of AEs or similar.

And most all that I've seen have had corrected grain leather.

 

[EL72]

Originally Posted by j

Spade soles. Faustian Bargain, IIRC, had a pair of these.


Ah, spade soles - thanks.