Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[smfdoc]

Here’s what I have been able to accomplish so far the American Gentleman LWBs. The left shoe after a wet scrub down with golf bag cleaner, then drying out with trees in them. The right shoe has Saphir Havana Brown Surfine on it. View attachment 1421060
Some Angelus dark brown polish on the toe tips and better lighting: View attachment 1421061 View attachment 1421062 View attachment 1421063

Those are a great looking pair. Although I can’t feel the leather, it looks like the construction is pretty high end. I’m sure that if I looked for a pair they did not make them in triple E

 

[CWOyaji]

The quality is good. I had sold these four pairs of size 14 93602s and 97625s that I stumbled on at a St Vincent de Paul, and got tired of waiting for some Florsheims to come along in 13 D. So for $29.99 I decided to take a chance on the American Gentlemans.

 

[Jiqea]

I have no idea how old these are, but I’m guessing 70’s vintage. Anybody know? Here’s the tag: View attachment 1421065

American Gentleman shoes were advertized from at least as early as 1910 until the late 70's. I am getting a sense from the very early ads that this was a brand owned and produced by Hamilton-Brown (St. Louis?). They were most often advertized along with American Lady shoes.

This 1980 advert indicates that American Gentleman were either purchased or minimally had a distribution deal with Florsheim . I will peruse the 60's and 70's ads and see what I come up with, but I think your guess is pretty accurate.

 

[friendlygoz]

I thought I had my shoes lined up for the Restoration Challenge: a beat-up, but structurally sound pair of AE Chesters, likely from the 1970s. The seller wants $59 + shipping. I tried to talk him lower, but he is "firm" with this price. He's had them for sale for a least a year. I don't really have a point. I'm just offering up one of those "some people...!" rants.

EUC Allen Edmonds Men's US 9D Chester Brown Leather Oxford Lace-Up Dress Shoe A2 | eBay

I work very hard to ensure that every sale is successful. Do you prefer a different service?.

www.ebay.com

 

[Oshare]

Dyed 93602 from 1973. Ebay score from a few years ago. Not my dye job. Decent overall but I want to get them touched up one of these days.
View attachment 1420428

Nice. I'm also curious to see more of the goods we can glimpse in the background.
Is that your shoe room?

 

[wasmisterfu]

But those french shriners....

Yeah French Shriner and Urner’s (before they went off a cliff in the 60’s) were next-level excellent.

If you haven’t already seen them, check out @davidVC ’s crazy beautiful NOS pair:

Full vcleat.com post:https://vcleat.com/french-shriner-and-urner-medallion-tip-balmoral/

 

[wasmisterfu]

I thought I had my shoes lined up for the Restoration Challenge: a beat-up, but structurally sound pair of AE Chesters, likely from the 1970s. The seller wants $59 + shipping. I tried to talk him lower, but he is "firm" with this price. He's had them for sale for a least a year. I don't really have a point. I'm just offering up one of those "some people...!" rants.

EUC Allen Edmonds Men's US 9D Chester Brown Leather Oxford Lace-Up Dress Shoe A2 | eBay

I work very hard to ensure that every sale is successful. Do you prefer a different service?.

www.ebay.com

Yup circa 1977, 1984-Tan Pampa Calf. Those would make a neat pair, restored...

...But these are worth like 30 bucks, max, especially given the 20 dollar shipping cost:

Don’t get me wrong, they have a ton of potential, as they don’t actually have that much wear; they’re on their original soles and heels. But they were also put away wet and without trees, and they haven’t ever seen proper conditioning and care in their entire 43 years.

So yeah “some people...!” is right.

 

[friendlygoz]

Yup circa 1977, 1984-Tan Pampa Calf. Those would make a neat pair, restored...

...But these are worth like 30 bucks, max, especially given the 20 dollar shipping cost:

Don’t get me wrong, they have a ton of potential, as they don’t actually have that much wear; they’re on their original soles and heels. But they were also put away wet and without trees, and they haven’t ever seen proper conditioning and care in their entire 43 years.

So yeah “some people...!” is right.

I had the exact same thought. I offered him $30 shipped. For me, shipping would only be eight dollars since he lives in the Bay Area. I'm sort of mad because I think it would be the perfect shoe for the Restoration Challenge. I guess I could go back and ask if he could do $40. But the terseness of his email about the firmness of this price suggested he's a stubborn seller.

 

[wasmisterfu]

I had the exact same thought. I offered him $30 shipped. For me, shipping would only be eight dollars since he lives in the Bay Area. I'm sort of mad because I think it would be the perfect shoe for the Restoration Challenge. I guess I could go back and ask if he could do $40. But the terseness of his email about the firmness of this price suggested he's a stubborn seller.

Yeah, some sellers just don’t want to admit they got the price wrong, or engage in the ancient art of negotiation and compromise.

 

[madhat]

Yeah, some sellers just don’t want to admit they got the price wrong, or engage in the ancient art of negotiation and compromise.

I KNOW WHAT I GOT

 

[smfdoc]

Yup circa 1977, 1984-Tan Pampa Calf. Those would make a neat pair, restored...

...But these are worth like 30 bucks, max, especially given the 20 dollar shipping cost:

Don’t get me wrong, they have a ton of potential, as they don’t actually have that much wear; they’re on their original soles and heels. But they were also put away wet and without trees, and they haven’t ever seen proper conditioning and care in their entire 43 years.

So yeah “some people...!” is right.

I had the exact same thought. I offered him $30 shipped. For me, shipping would only be eight dollars since he lives in the Bay Area. I'm sort of mad because I think it would be the perfect shoe for the Restoration Challenge. I guess I could go back and ask if he could do $40. But the terseness of his email about the firmness of this price suggested he's a stubborn seller.

Just in case you need some inspiration, these are some brown Chester's from the 1980s that were posted on page 1 of the vintage thread by @MattRiv. Just awesome looking shoes. I am bummed about the size guide from the catalog. It would explain why I can't ever find any EEE. I guess the only exception are my alligator Chesters which were made in EEE for the original owner.

 

[madhat]

Just in case you need some inspiration, these are some brown Chester's from the 1980s that were posted on page 1 of the vintage thread by @MattRiv. Just awesome looking shoes. I am bummed about the size guide from the catalog. It would explain why I can't ever find any EEE. I guess the only exception are my alligator Chesters which were made in EEE for the original owner.

View attachment 1421411

EEE...AAA... What's the difference? There's 3 letters.

 

[CWOyaji]

American Gentleman shoes were advertized from at least as early as 1910 until the late 70's. I am getting a sense from the very early ads that this was a brand owned and produced by Hamilton-Brown (St. Louis?). They were most often advertized along with American Lady shoes.

This 1980 advert indicates that American Gentleman were either purchased or minimally had a distribution deal with Florsheim . I will peruse the 60's and 70's ads and see what I come up with, but I think your guess is pretty accurate.

They had some elaborate full color ads too. This American Gentleman sitting on a stone wall waving to a couple about to fly away in their own single engine plane seems pretty fanciful.

The Country Squire look.

People used to dress up in those days.

 

[friendlygoz]

Just in case you need some inspiration, these are some brown Chester's from the 1980s that were posted on page 1 of the vintage thread by @MattRiv. Just awesome looking shoes. I am bummed about the size guide from the catalog. It would explain why I can't ever find any EEE. I guess the only exception are my alligator Chesters which were made in EEE for the original owner.

View attachment 1421411

Stop it! You are making me want to overpay for that ratty pair. Dang. I might just do it! Where are my principles?!

 

[sam67]

So I got these these Florsheims because I didn't have any and was feeling left out. Not the coveted 9 series but they were cheap and I thought I'd try them out. I like the color. I believe 1980s era, like me.
View attachment 1420636
View attachment 1420637 View attachment 1420638

I wore these to work today. I loved them and it's used cork! Just seems a good fit to my foot. I'm an 11D on the Brannock but these worked well.