Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[Nobleprofessor]

I have lots of vintage Florsheim. But, oddly I only have one pair of 93602 (and one pair of 93605). These big gunboats are such great shoes. I would challenge anyone who knows shoes to look over the construction of these shoes and not be impressed.

 

[friendlygoz]

I have lots of vintage Florsheim. But, oddly I only have one pair of 93602 (and one pair of 93605). These big gunboats are such great shoes. I would challenge anyone who knows shoes to look over the construction of these shoes and not be impressed.

View attachment 1041596

Got my first pair last year - 93602 - after reading all the hype. I learned it’s not hype. They are amazing.

 

[Lmrjfud]

I have come to the conclusion that eBay used Alden shoe buyers have lost their collective minds.

 

[Nobleprofessor]

I have come to the conclusion that eBay used Alden shoe buyers have lost their collective minds.

Why?

 

[Lmrjfud]

Why?

So often I see beat to hell and back, cracked, delaminated sole, gouged shoes going for twice the cost of a similar vintage Florsheim (the good ones) simply because the insole says "Alden".

Case in point: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Alden-Mens...500616?hash=item4b4e421448:g:xtoAAOSwzyBbhuNY

I would scoff at the asking price if I had not seen many pair in worse condition go for more.

 

[eTrojan]

I have come to the conclusion that eBay used Alden shoe buyers have lost their collective minds.

They're consistently overpriced. If people are willing to pay that, good for the seller. I did offer one seller a reasonable price for a decent pair of shortwings. He kept pushing it with counteroffers not close to my offer. He still has them listed -- four months later -- for a considerable discount off his original position. I've deliberated going back and renewing my offer, but part of me wants to watch him sit on them forever.

Almost NO ONE buys 13 A shoes (or AA). If you have a pair for sale, be glad someone wants to take them off your hands.

 

[MJMcRibb]

Almost NO ONE buys 13 A shoes (or AA). If you have a pair for sale, be glad someone wants to take them off your hands.

This is very true. As an eBay seller, I take this into account when buying for resale and when selling. Shoes I'd pick up in a second if they were D width, get left in A+. When I do buy them, I may list them at close to what I'd expect a more popular size to sell for, but I will sometimes jump on the first offer that's close to reasonable.

 

[CWOyaji]

Thrifted Florsheim 97626 made in 1992 with new double oak JR soles and heels. Uppers by me. Still have yet to find at thrift or buy online for myself any Alden shell LWBs. But if they come along, it will mostly depend on the price and secondly condition. Because the quality is not likely to be any better than this.

 

[Nobleprofessor]

So often I see beat to hell and back, cracked, delaminated sole, gouged shoes going for twice the cost of a similar vintage Florsheim (the good ones) simply because the insole says "Alden".

Case in point: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Alden-Mens...500616?hash=item4b4e421448:g:xtoAAOSwzyBbhuNY

I would scoff at the asking price if I had not seen many pair in worse condition go for more.

They're consistently overpriced. If people are willing to pay that, good for the seller. I did offer one seller a reasonable price for a decent pair of shortwings. He kept pushing it with counteroffers not close to my offer. He still has them listed -- four months later -- for a considerable discount off his original position. I've deliberated going back and renewing my offer, but part of me wants to watch him sit on them forever.

Almost NO ONE buys 13 A shoes (or AA). If you have a pair for sale, be glad someone wants to take them off your hands.

This is very true. As an eBay seller, I take this into account when buying for resale and when selling. Shoes I'd pick up in a second if they were D width, get left in A+. When I do buy them, I may list them at close to what I'd expect a more popular size to sell for, but I will sometimes jump on the first offer that's close to reasonable.

Alden fetches a premium. That's the free market for you on ebay. I had a pair of Aldens that were old and practically worn out. I started them out at 9.99 and I they sold for over $90. They were nothing special and were going to need a lot of work.

I agree that the size makes a big difference in prices. Very small sizes seem to command high prices from overseas buyers but really big sizes 14-15 don't do well at all. I agree about narrow sizes. That always hurts the price. Wide was the opposite. If I had a wide, it would sell better than the medium. But, the highest demand seemed to be 10.5 and (oddly) 8.5. I agree that A width or narrower are extremely rare and for those sizes, its a buyers market. The exception might be for super rare styles. There are not many people who wear 13AA, but in some shoes, there are almost no 13AA ever made.

I'm glad that narrow shoes sell cheaper. My foot has gone from 11.5D to 11.5C to 11-11.5B. So, my shoes keep getting cheaper.

Vcleat had a post about NOS Shell Cordovan. He said as long as he has been watching, he has never found a pair of 11.5D NOS Shell. I can believe it because I never found them either.

 

[wasmisterfu]

I have come to the conclusion that eBay used Alden shoe buyers have lost their collective minds.

Why?

 

[Thrift Couture]

This is the inside info of my recently acquired "shell cordovan" PTB. Has anyone else ran across a mislabeled pair? This is the same style code as my cashmere calf PTB.

 

[Nobleprofessor]

I was recently telling my brother how odd it is that my feet have grown increasingly narrow. My father is 6'3" and wears a 9.5 wide. My brother is 5'11" and wears a 10.5 D or E. I used to wear 11.5D. Then, it was 11.5C. Recently even my 11.5C have started to feel too wide and I am more like an 11 or 11.5 B. He heard an NPR story that suggested that there is a lack of standards in clothing and shoe sizes and perhaps my feet have not changed. BUT, I have shoes that fit me 6 months ago and now are too sloppy wide. I suspect I never really wore an 11.5D and that I always needed a narrow and since I have lost weight I now need an extra narrow width.

But, his comment brought up a good point. Other than recently, my feet haven't really changed size since I was in high school. But, I do find clothing that is very inconsistent in terms of sizing. Perhaps it is just quality control.

Sorry for rant -- or at least random thoughts.

 

[CWOyaji]

The Wall Street Journal looks at the willingness of folks to pay a premium for Made in America esp. in re Allen Edmonds, FYI.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/does-m...allen-edmonds-is-about-to-find-out-1537812563

 

[suitforcourt]

I have come to the conclusion that eBay used Alden shoe buyers have lost their collective minds.

Same goes for Florsheim. Some made in India crap are listed at ridiculous prices. Or quality pairs that our group appreciate, but are ripped and beat to hell, going for a king's ransom.

It's a free market. If someone is willing to buy, good on them!

 

[Lmrjfud]

Why?

So often I see beat to hell and back, cracked, delaminated sole, gouged shoes going for twice the cost of a similar vintage Florsheim (the good ones) simply because the insole says "Alden".

Case in point: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Alden-Mens...500616?hash=item4b4e421448:g:xtoAAOSwzyBbhuNY

I would scoff at the asking price if I had not seen many pair in worse condition go for more.