Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[Nobleprofessor]

How about a round of Guess the Maker?

This might be a tough one for this group (explanation below)

Vintage Saddle Shoe
Appears to be a quality manufacturer

360 GY Welt
Quality real grain leather not CG
VERY nice stitching, perfect stitching on sole, thick outsole - not quite as thick as Florsheim, little extra quality indications

Company is based in Europe but had/has presence in NYC. This is NOT a Company I had heard of before. They still make what appears to be quality shoes.

These were apparently made for US market with US sizing.

The company started in late 1880’s and formed company name that still exists shortly after 1900’s.

The company still operates. They have a cheaper line that sells for approximately $100-175. But, they also have a premium line that sells for $300-400.

I THINK the ones I’m wearing today are from late 80’s or early 90’s. They are good quality materials.

 

[eTrojan]

How about a round of Guess the Maker?

This might be a tough one for this group (explanation below)

Vintage Saddle Shoe
Appears to be a quality manufacturer

360 GY Welt
Quality real grain leather not CG
VERY nice stitching, perfect stitching on sole, thick outsole - not quite as thick as Florsheim, little extra quality indications

Company is based in Europe but had/has presence in NYC. This is NOT a Company I had heard of before. They still make what appears to be quality shoes.

These were apparently made for US market with US sizing.

The company started in late 1880’s and formed company name that still exists shortly after 1900’s.

The company still operates. They have a cheaper line that sells for approximately $100-175. But, they also have a premium line that sells for $300-400.

I THINK the ones I’m wearing today are from late 80’s or early 90’s. They are good quality materials.

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I would assume it's Cheaney. The brass eyelets initially said "Church's" to me, because I have a pair of their saddle shoes, and getting a couple decades of wax out of the eyelets was a PITA. But based on your description -- especially the budget line part -- I would lean more toward Cheaney.

 

[MJMcRibb]

How about a round of Guess the Maker?

This might be a tough one for this group (explanation below)

Vintage Saddle Shoe
Appears to be a quality manufacturer

360 GY Welt
Quality real grain leather not CG
VERY nice stitching, perfect stitching on sole, thick outsole - not quite as thick as Florsheim, little extra quality indications

Company is based in Europe but had/has presence in NYC. This is NOT a Company I had heard of before. They still make what appears to be quality shoes.

These were apparently made for US market with US sizing.

The company started in late 1880’s and formed company name that still exists shortly after 1900’s.

The company still operates. They have a cheaper line that sells for approximately $100-175. But, they also have a premium line that sells for $300-400.

I THINK the ones I’m wearing today are from late 80’s or early 90’s. They are good quality materials.

View attachment 1318067 View attachment 1318068 View attachment 1318069

Loake

 

[Nobleprofessor]

I would assume it's Cheaney. The brass eyelets initially said "Church's" to me, because I have a pair of their saddle shoes, and getting a couple decades of wax out of the eyelets was a PITA. But based on your description -- especially the budget line part -- I would lean more toward Cheaney.

Loake

Good guesses. But, this a company I had not heard of before. I’m definitely aware of Church’s, Cheaney, and Loake.

(also, it’s not C&J, EG, Ferragamo, or any of the Big name designers)

 

[manowar]

Can any of you learned gentlemen tell me about these shoes? I see that Russell is still making custom-order shoes in Berlin, Wisconsin. Can anyone give me an approximate age?
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They've had a half-sole replacement at some point. I'm not sure if the Vibram heel is original or not.
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I think they're ugly as sin, and I almost didn't get them, but they were only $3 and I could tell that they were a well-built shoe, so I grabbed them.

I would maybe wear those after changing out the laces, they could be worse. The Vibram heel toplift is not original since you can see it isn't properly fitted to the heel block. Plus, it's got hardly any wear on it.

Quick overview of my first Vintage eBay purchase.

I was looking for some Florsheim longwings and kept coming across these Penfields. Size is a 10A and I wasn't sure how they'd fit given I've never owned Florsheims and know nothing about their lasts, fit, etc. Although I usually buy 10B, luckily I measure a 10A.

Florsheims Penfield 1983.

Picked them up for $52 and had never been worn. Came with reciept. Is the receipt real? Who knows, but either way, nice touch. Lol.

Reciept and Sole.
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They had what I assumed was some type of CG glossy coating. Once removed the leather was supple and soft, so now I'm thinking it was not CG. Here is the Acetone mess if PURPLE nastiness that came off the shoes.

Before...
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During and after...
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The edges had some weird sticky stuff on them so I sanded them down and recoated.
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One thing I don't like is this cheapo canvas inside and weird wool tongue.
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Treated them with Bick 4, Angelus leather balm, saphir cream and wax.
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Sweet find, and nice restoration! Must have been hard to scuff those pristine soles.

How about a round of Guess the Maker?

This might be a tough one for this group (explanation below)

Vintage Saddle Shoe
Appears to be a quality manufacturer

360 GY Welt
Quality real grain leather not CG
VERY nice stitching, perfect stitching on sole, thick outsole - not quite as thick as Florsheim, little extra quality indications

Company is based in Europe but had/has presence in NYC. This is NOT a Company I had heard of before. They still make what appears to be quality shoes.

These were apparently made for US market with US sizing.

The company started in late 1880’s and formed company name that still exists shortly after 1900’s.

The company still operates. They have a cheaper line that sells for approximately $100-175. But, they also have a premium line that sells for $300-400.

I THINK the ones I’m wearing today are from late 80’s or early 90’s. They are good quality materials.

View attachment 1318067 View attachment 1318068 View attachment 1318069

My first guess was Stacy Adams, but they're American. How about Sanders or Barker?

 

[suitforcourt]

How about a round of Guess the Maker?

This might be a tough one for this group (explanation below)

Vintage Saddle Shoe
Appears to be a quality manufacturer

360 GY Welt
Quality real grain leather not CG
VERY nice stitching, perfect stitching on sole, thick outsole - not quite as thick as Florsheim, little extra quality indications

Company is based in Europe but had/has presence in NYC. This is NOT a Company I had heard of before. They still make what appears to be quality shoes.

These were apparently made for US market with US sizing.

The company started in late 1880’s and formed company name that still exists shortly after 1900’s.

The company still operates. They have a cheaper line that sells for approximately $100-175. But, they also have a premium line that sells for $300-400.

I THINK the ones I’m wearing today are from late 80’s or early 90’s. They are good quality materials.

View attachment 1318067 View attachment 1318068 View attachment 1318069

Royal Tweed by Cheaney

 

[Nobleprofessor]

I would maybe wear those after changing out the laces, they could be worse. The Vibram heel toplift is not original since you can see it isn't properly fitted to the heel block. Plus, it's got hardly any wear on it.


Sweet find, and nice restoration! Must have been hard to scuff those pristine soles.


My first guess was Stacy Adams, but they're American. How about Sanders or Barker?

Stacy Adams? These are well made shoes.

 

[Nobleprofessor]

Royal Tweed by Cheaney

Another good guess. But, still incorrect. If I were guessing I would not have gotten it right. It’s a tough one.

 

[manowar]

Stacy Adams vintage shoes look to be nice, and GYW. I haven't researched their history but I see they started in the late 1800's.

 

[Nealjpage]

I would maybe wear those after changing out the laces, they could be worse. The Vibram heel toplift is not original since you can see it isn't properly fitted to the heel block. Plus, it's got hardly any wear on it.

What would you recommend for laces?

 

[manowar]

What would you recommend for laces?

I would try a substantial round cotton lace with a smooth finish. Something like this.

Incidentally, I happen to wear a 10.5C, though I really don't have an interest in buying them!

 

[suitforcourt]

Dexter Thursday. The fit is spot on for 8.5eee.

 

[Nobleprofessor]

Stacy Adams vintage shoes look to be nice, and GYW. I haven't researched their history but I see they started in the late 1800's.

I have heard that Stacy Adams YEARS ago made decent shoes. But, the only stuff I see is awful and nasty and cheap.

Just saw these at Goodwill when I went to lunch.

 

[manowar]

I was in no way defending them as a brand, their stuff is obviously hideous! Though some of my friends consider them to be the best thing ever...

 

[suitforcourt]

I was in no way defending them as a brand, their stuff is obviously hideous! Though some of my friends consider them to be the best thing ever...

I also have friends who think Panda Express and PF Chang have decent Chinese-American food. I place my friends, and your friends, in the exact same category.