Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[CWOyaji]

While I have at least two of the vintage shoe heavy hitters in the room, Messrs. @davidVC and @smfdoc, may I please nominate these handsome Church's Darwin shell cordovan penny loafers to be awarded a place on the Shellcordovanmodels list? Please note this is different from the Darwin Award I've somehow managed to stay one step ahead of for way too many years. May it please the court:

 

[MJMcRibb]

Might that be turtle instead of crocodile?

Most definitely sea turtle.

 

[wasmisterfu]

On @davidVC's watch list. What vintage are these?

View attachment 1394865

Vintage Freeman Shoes Brown Leather White Suede Men's Wingtips Dress Shoes 9? | eBay

<p>The size is not clearly marked, these fit me and I typically wear a size 9/9.5 dress shoe. Vintage Freeman Shoes Brown Leather White Suede Men's Wingtips Dress Shoes 9. Condition is Pre-owned. Shipped with USPS Priority Mail.</p>

www.ebay.com

I’m gonna say late 40’s to early 50’s. Those appear to be very, very well made (blind channel bottom outsole stitch, leather insole, high quality cotton drill). They need just a little cleaning (they appear to be a napped leather, of some sort, on the white portions) and they’ll need some careful hydration. They‘ve been worn maybe 3 or 4 times in their entire existence, which is pretty amazing given how awesome they are.

If they were my size, I’d be hell-bent on winning that auction.

 

[wasmisterfu]

While I have at least two of the vintage shoe heavy hitters in the room, Messrs. @davidVC and @smfdoc, may I please nominate these handsome Church's Darwin shell cordovan penny loafers to be awarded a place on the Shellcordovanmodels list? Please note this is different from the Darwin Award I've somehow managed to stay one step ahead of for way too many years. May it please the court:
View attachment 1394946 View attachment 1394947 View attachment 1394948

Those are @davidVC shoe-museum grade.

 

[friendlygoz]

Most definitely sea turtle.

Really?! Wow. And the size? Looks like B/D which is D, no?

 

[CWOyaji]

Those are @davidVC shoe-museum grade.

 

[Nealjpage]

10 D guys. Not my listing.

Vtg NOS 70s Florsheim Flexibles 30778 Longwing Wing Tip Dress Shoe Sz 10 D Brown | eBay

I believe this is the "Albany" model. A small flaw/scuff on toebox of right shoe, see pic 5. Silver writing on sole of one shoe.

www.ebay.com

 

[friendlygoz]

Most definitely sea turtle.

does anyone have any experience w/ vintage turtle? is it durable? these look pretty dry, and I wouldn't want to grab them if they are beyond rehab...

VTG Edwin Clapp Alligator Crocodile Reptile Oxford Dress Shoes Men Sz (9)B | eBay

The Edwin Clapp Shoe Sz (9)B. Shoes look good and are Quality. show minor signs of wear.

www.ebay.com

 

[CWOyaji]

does anyone have any experience w/ vintage turtle? is it durable? these look pretty dry, and I wouldn't want to grab them if they are beyond rehab...

VTG Edwin Clapp Alligator Crocodile Reptile Oxford Dress Shoes Men Sz (9)B | eBay

The Edwin Clapp Shoe Sz (9)B. Shoes look good and are Quality. show minor signs of wear.

www.ebay.com

May run afoul of the regs on interstate trade in endangered species, since the seller is in New Mexico. I still have the sea turtle shoes I thrifted a while back that were made in Mexico and donated in NOS condition. They're illegal to sell in California AFAIK and I feel bad for the animal they came from, which was no doubt taken from the wild. US Fish and Wildlife Service

 

[wasmisterfu]

does anyone have any experience w/ vintage turtle? is it durable? these look pretty dry, and I wouldn't want to grab them if they are beyond rehab...

VTG Edwin Clapp Alligator Crocodile Reptile Oxford Dress Shoes Men Sz (9)B | eBay

The Edwin Clapp Shoe Sz (9)B. Shoes look good and are Quality. show minor signs of wear.

www.ebay.com

I’d be as concerned as you are. Activating the @davidVC bat signal, because I have no idea how or what you’d use on those.

 

[CWOyaji]

^Saphir Reptan

 

[davidVC]

I have found it useful to use the search function on vcleat. I have entered a style number and it will pop up any mention of it in any of the pieces that the Pulitzer people have so wrongly ignored.

I think the Pulitzer people have blacklisted me. Might be related to the blood doping controversy a few years back. I will emphasize that these were just allegations. I was never convicted.

 

[davidVC]

I’d be as concerned as you are. Activating the @davidVC bat signal, because I have no idea how or what you’d use on those.

I don't know. I would be surprised if there are any vintage turtle leather experts out there. I would probably use Bick4. Maybe Neatsfoot oil. Bick has an exotic conditioner but I have used it and it doesn't seem much different that other conditioners.

I just added them to my watchlist because they were so unusual. They don't seem wearable. They might have been made as golf shoes and then resoled.

 

[friendlygoz]

I don't know. I would be surprised if there are any vintage turtle leather experts out there. I would probably use Bick4. Maybe Neatsfoot oil. Bick has an exotic conditioner but I have used it and it doesn't seem much different that other conditioners.

I just added them to my watchlist because they were so unusual. They don't seem wearable. They might have been made as golf shoes and then resoled.

Thanks for this input. Between concerns about the legality and ethics of this potential purchase, and that “they don’t seem wearable,” It would seem wise to pass. They are cool though.

 

[wasmisterfu]

10 D guys. Not my listing.

Vtg NOS 70s Florsheim Flexibles 30778 Longwing Wing Tip Dress Shoe Sz 10 D Brown | eBay

I believe this is the "Albany" model. A small flaw/scuff on toebox of right shoe, see pic 5. Silver writing on sole of one shoe.

www.ebay.com

View attachment 1395106

Interesting shoe; 70s’ish last, leather has some form of heavy finish, but grain is still visible. 360 welt, so I’m going to guess that this “Flexole” was Florsheim’s version of AE nailless style construction, probably with a very flexible or omitted shank.

Lack of “Flexible Fiber Insole” stamp, makes me think it’s full leather construction, linings look high quality.