Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[Thomas Crown]

Not a ‘40’s true spade but a satisfying little score at the Goodwill today. $3.50 Bostonian 569 Flexaire featured in @davidVC ‘s posting of the 1962 catalog-barely worn,very pointy and space age-Cuban missiles,without the crisis!

 

[suitforcourt]

Not a ‘40’s true spade but a satisfying little score at the Goodwill today. $3.50 Bostonian 569 Flexaire featured in @davidVC ‘s posting of the 1962 catalog-barely worn,very pointy and space age-Cuban missiles,without the crisis! View attachment 1467354 View attachment 1467355 View attachment 1467356 View attachment 1467357 View attachment 1467358

Can we see the sole?

 

[M.Photog]

Incoming ... not sure if these Tony Lamas are vintage. But vintage western boots are such great deals for those who wear them. It is new venture for me to try out.


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What you have there is, in my opinion the classic Tony Lama boot, not made for show but to stand up to abuse. I have 3 pairs of style 4013 Lamas in various conditions. My wife bought the first pair shown here before we were married over forty years ago. I have kept them in good condition but have had others that I used the way they were intended. They are very rugged. Not sure if the newer ones are as good.
I have a friend who wears almost nothing else unless he is golfing.

 

[Hotel Cali]

What you have there is, in my opinion the classic Tony Lama boot, not made for show but to stand up to abuse. I have 3 pairs of style 4013 Lamas in various conditions. My wife bought the first pair shown here before we were married over forty years ago. I have kept them in good condition but have had others that I used the way they were intended. They are very rugged. Not sure if the newer ones are as good.
I have a friend who wears almost nothing else unless he is golfing. View attachment 1467386 View attachment 1467387

Thanks for the info.

Do Tony Lamas run true to Brannock sizing?

I got a E width and it feels tight like a C width. Those C like width will fit my wife so I will be looking for EEE version.

 

[Nealjpage]

Thanks for the info.

Do Tony Lamas run true to Brannock sizing?

I got a E width and it feels tight like a C width. Those C like width will fit my wife so I will be looking for EEE version.

I've always thought that cowboy boots run a bit narrow.

 

[JFWR]

So, question gentlemen: Besides Hanover's LB Sheppherd line, what are some other good shell cordovan shoes of yore?

 

[Joe Wohkittel]

I expect those would have gone somewhere in the $3-500 range if the auction had played out. True spades are really rare and that’s generally what I’ve seen them go for on the few occasions they’ve been available.
[/QUOTE]
Very rare indeed. If I had seen this auction, I would have paid at least $250 for them without hesitation.

 

[Joe Wohkittel]

So, question gentlemen: Besides Hanover's LB Sheppherd line, what are some other good shell cordovan shoes of yore?

Nettleton comes to mind first as they are relatively common.

 

[JFWR]

Nettleton comes to mind first as they are relatively common.

Thanks. Sadly, none seem to be up one ebay right now! At least in my size.

 

[smfdoc]

So, question gentlemen: Besides Hanover's LB Sheppherd line, what are some other good shell cordovan shoes of yore?

I love my Florsheim shell. Well worth finding a pair. What size are you looking for?

 

[meister]

I never had a chance to post the shoes I was wearing last week, so I've got two posts this week. Last week's shoes were these 1950s Roblee Perforated Bluchers. View attachment 1466630 View attachment 1466631 View attachment 1466632 View attachment 1466634

why do almost no Roblee vintage appear on eBay? Such a prominent company.

 

[meister]

This week I'm wearing these 1940s blue on blue spectators. These were made by an unknown maker for the Ben Berke Store in Detroit. View attachment 1466641 View attachment 1466642 View attachment 1466643 View attachment 1466645

Stetson Saratogas

 

[Jiqea]

Stetson Saratogas

After the @mormonopoly post I reviewed all of the Ben Berke ads that I could find on line between 1947 and 1955 that mentioned suede. A few ads indicated that they carried 26 distinct styles of suede shoes in a wide range of colours, with the two prominent makers being John McHale and Stetson. I couldn't find any exact matches for his pair but I too think they are Stetson's.

 

[GoldenHarvestMedal]

Bison, manufactured between 1958 and 1968, based on the sock-liner logo.

About the Hartt bison shoes, I remember on the bottom of the sole, it said both "custom grade" and "factory rejected". Is any factory rejected pair valuable / collectable, even though it's at custom grade level? Thanks.

 

[suitforcourt]

So, question gentlemen: Besides Hanover's LB Sheppherd line, what are some other good shell cordovan shoes of yore?

These are brands I have that are shell:

Vintage Florsheim.
Nettleton.
Stuart McGuire (not at level of Florsheim or Hanover).
Hanover.
AE MacNeils.

I find Florsheim executed shells the best.