Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[smfdoc]

Its easy to get caught up in the pursuit of shell or some other exotic vintage shoe and to ignore the classics that are available. The one "standard" classic Florsheim I was missing was a good 96302 brown pebble LWB. I had one that did not fit well and I have filled the other gaps of black and shell, but the brown has eluded me for some time. They just are not that common in EEE. But hopes are now high because I found one that is 1/2 size larger than intended. For me, that is usually a good thing fit-wise. So these are on their way and ready for some TLC to clean the contrasting welt stitches, polish and Collonil to get the right glow. These are either 77 or 87. Even the latter option is 30 years old, so they have held up pretty well.

 

[suitforcourt]

Its easy to get caught up in the pursuit of shell or some other exotic vintage shoe and to ignore the classics that are available. The one "standard" classic Florsheim I was missing was a good 96302 brown pebble LWB. I had one that did not fit well and I have filled the other gaps of black and shell, but the brown has eluded me for some time. They just are not that common in EEE. But hopes are now high because I found one that is 1/2 size larger than intended. For me, that is usually a good thing fit-wise. So these are on their way and ready for some TLC to clean the contrasting welt stitches, polish and Collonil to get the right glow. These are either 77 or 87. Even the latter option is 30 years old, so they have held up pretty well.

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If I could go back in time, I would tell a 6 year old me, to buy all of the Florsheim v-cleats and keep them to flip to this group.

 

[suitforcourt]

I don't know about other lines of EIs, but they have a lower tier LWB where the longwing is not a single piece of leather. However, it does have the standard O'Sullivan heel. I haven't done a full breakdown on this pair versus my other two EIs. I imagine there are other differences (beyond the split longwing).

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Both of my pairs are the pebbled grain leather. And look to be a single piece of leather for the longwing.

I should do a longwing comparison. I have 2 pairs of B Mason, 4 pairs of Florsheim, and 1 pair of Nettleton.

 

[davidVC]

Its easy to get caught up in the pursuit of shell or some other exotic vintage shoe and to ignore the classics that are available. The one "standard" classic Florsheim I was missing was a good 96302 brown pebble LWB. I had one that did not fit well and I have filled the other gaps of black and shell, but the brown has eluded me for some time. They just are not that common in EEE. But hopes are now high because I found one that is 1/2 size larger than intended. For me, that is usually a good thing fit-wise. So these are on their way and ready for some TLC to clean the contrasting welt stitches, polish and Collonil to get the right glow. These are either 77 or 87. Even the latter option is 30 years old, so they have held up pretty well.

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Those appear to have very limited wear. They should clean up nicely

 

[eTrojan]

Both of my pairs are the pebbled grain leather. And look to be a single piece of leather for the longwing.

I should do a longwing comparison. I have 2 pairs of B Mason, 4 pairs of Florsheim, and 1 pair of Nettleton.

2 out of my 3 Masons are pebble grain, too -- the mustardy brown and the black. My gunboat LWB collection has ballooned thanks to this crew -- 2 AE MacNeils, 3 Mason, 2 Florsheim, 1 Weyenberg, and 1 Cordwainer Wright.

(+1 to Florsheim count -- forgot I had another pair in the mail. Ugh.)

 

[meister]

One off the bucket list. Cole-Haan Italian made spades from the 90s. But not in corrected grain.

 

[mormonopoly]

One off the bucket list. Cole-Haan Italian made spades from the 90s. But not in corrected grain.

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Excellent, I thought they had only made those in that horrible burgundy corrected grain leather.

 

[M.Photog]

My guess is that they were made by J&M in the late 60s.

Both Freeman and J&M used that star pattern by the eyelets on a few models. But they don't look like a Freeman design

Did Weyenberg ever do any work for Brooks Brothers?

 

[M.Photog]

Good choice - I have the identical shoe in 11D as part of my 40+ collection... I am at the point now where I would have to find something very special to justify another buy, and that's why I joined this group (to be exposed to great shoes, not to help cure my addition!)

Joining this group to cure a vintage shoe addiction would be a bit like joining the Moose Lodge hoping to overcome alcoholism.

 

[davidVC]

Excellent, I thought they had only made those in that horrible burgundy corrected grain leather.

I was thinking the same thing. I have never seen a Trafton with that leather

 

[davidVC]

Did Weyenberg ever do any work for Brooks Brothers?

I don't know. Most of the BB shoes I see were made by Alden or Allen Edmonds.

 

[PSU John]

I don't know. Most of the BB shoes I see were made by Alden or Allen Edmonds.

The star pattern by the eyelets IS used by Alden in their model 966 SWB, but that may only be a coincidence that it shows up in those shell PTBs

 

[suitforcourt]

I don't know. Most of the BB shoes I see were made by Alden or Allen Edmonds.

A few made by Crockett Jones and Church's as well.

 

[JohnAAG]

Hi everyone!
Seeking some help. I picked up these Church's recently. In general, they are in great shape

2 questions: does anyone know what this "s" in a circle symbol on the sole means?

Second: they have this nasty scratch in the toe; any suggestions on how to repair this?

Thanks!
John

 

[suitforcourt]

Hi everyone!
Seeking some help. I picked up these Church's recently. In general, they are in great shape
View attachment 861353
View attachment 861354
2 questions: does anyone know what this "s" in a circle symbol on the sole means?
View attachment 861355

Second: they have this nasty scratch in the toe; any suggestions on how to repair this?
View attachment 861356

Thanks!
John

@smfdoc and @davidVC are the experts.