Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[aero25]

I hope you wouldn't hit like on that Weyenberg one because, well, it's sexist to the point of actual misogyny. The other ones, well that's between you an your legal representation.

Totally agree. To be fair, I hit like for your commentary on questionable advertising practices.

 

[meister]

From what I’ve read, Edwin Clapp made some of the very best shoes.

The best. I wear a pair of them most weeks from the late 40s /early 50s.

 

[meister]

They were probably the best shoemaker in America. We’re talking hand lasted


Yup, and the key is the “Urner”. Things seemed to go downhill very shortly after the Urner got dropped.

One of the things I’ve been doing, since I have “access”, is I’ve been looking through the Esquire archive. Now Esquire has always been dreck (I can assure you, having gone through 5 decades of archives). But the advertising, especially the shoe ads from the late 30’s through the early 60’s, are priceless.

One interesting thing is there is a clear price-point stratification that’s much more pronounced than today. Using ~1953 as an example, shoes were in the 8+, 16+ and 25+ dollar price points. AE, French Shriner & Urner, and top-end Florsheim were in that 25 dollars and up range. Regular Florsheim, Weyenberg, etc., were around the 16 and up dollar point. At the bottom were a bunch of shoes we rarely find examples of, with names like City Club. I love the absolutely tactless style of advertising they used (from 1952):

It’s pretty amusing that they talk about their prices being comfortable, given they were at the top-end of the advertised pricing structure (though, in this ad, I guess they thought it incongruent to list the price).

City Club were advertised by Marilyn Monroe no less. I have a pair from the 40s that are as well made as any vintage I have.

 

[isshinryu101]

Couldn't not wear them today.
View attachment 1053582
Then next pair that gets uncorrected will get a water bath and drying in some stretchers to see if we can eliminate the fine creasing. (that pair will be some CG LB Sheppards that I started stripping last night )

@wasmisterfu looks like they modified the Heather a bit by the time mine were made for that trendy square toed look.

you cannot "uncorrect" corrected grain leather. It contains plastics. When they crease, it is forever. CG DOES have its uses, though. Church's "polished binder", while creasing heavily is fantastic for foul weather & resists staining.

 

[mreams99]

The best. I wear a pair of them most weeks from the late 40s /early 50s.

The pair that I bought are allegedly from the 1940s. They didn’t really look that old to me.

 

[Nobleprofessor]

Who needs 11E 93605?

Here's a pair going cheap with a little more than hour to go!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Florsheim-...h=item33f6a81eba:g:334AAOSw8MZbr8SO:rk:1:pf:0

 

[LLEE]

Just popping in to say that I could look at vintage women and shoes all day, every day.

 

[suitforcourt]

I hope you wouldn't hit like on that Weyenberg one because, well, it's sexist to the point of actual misogyny. The other ones, well that's between you an your legal representation.

Hey Guys:

We can say what we like because we have the best in legal representation with Suitforcourt on our side, eh?

kilowatts

Yeah, but when he finds out we can't pay him, then all bets are off.

I can only accept clients who qualify for legal aid. In my jurisdiction, that's about $10,000 yearly income for an individual. And about $20,000 for family of 4. I have severe doubts any of you would qualify.

Then again my drug dealing and human trafficking clients obviously don't report their income and pay taxes on it.

Could you imagine? What would they try to write off? Their baggies and scales?

 

[Shoonoob]

you cannot "uncorrect" corrected grain leather. It contains plastics. When they crease, it is forever. CG DOES have its uses, though. Church's "polished binder", while creasing heavily is fantastic for foul weather & resists staining.

I am relatively certain there was not any plastic left.

Don't be a Fun Killer

 

[friendlygoz]

@davidVC has had these on his watchlist for a long time. This seems like a good deal ($23) for NOS, but I don't know anything about Knapp shoes. Dave only puts good shoes on the list. But does anyone know more about Knapp and their quality relative to, say, vintage Florsheim LWBs?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/382590016472

 

[wasmisterfu]

I am relatively certain there was not any plastic left.
View attachment 1053763
Don't be a Fun Killer

Who me?

 

[actionjbone]

First time thrifting in a while, and I hit paydirt...

Dried out, a little crushed, and a bit beat up.

The brand?

I'm a huge Tom Waits fan, so I've been looking for shoes like these for a long time. Stacy Adams has made ****** shoes for so many years now, it's almost impossible to find the old, good ones.

Cotton canvas lining, original welted soles.

About to start the restoration. These are going to be gorgeous when I'm done.

 

[instigateur]

I love these Barries. I Bick 4'd them the other day, but they look a little dry.

 

[Chawk806]

I love these Barries. I Bick 4'd them the other day, but they look a little dry.

View attachment 1053850

View attachment 1053851

Very nice!!

 

[Shoonoob]

Who me?

Hahahaha No you are fellow fun maker!