Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[Thrift Couture]

The venerable Hanover 714 House Slipper. Yeah, that just happened. Lol! Have a fantastic day Gents!

 

[joman8390]

Incoming: shell AE Sanfords. These are pretty cool. In fact, I didn't know these came in shell. The restrained and impulsive sides of my conscience fought for a couple of hours about whether I should make this purchase. I conferred with a member of my Shoe Buying Advisory Board (SBAB), @CWOyaji. He approved of the condition, style (could be worn to work or the grocery store), and the price ($90 shipped). After some bad experiences with dry shell, I asked the seller to inspect them carefully. This inspection included bending the eyelets to see if they crack. All tests came back negative. And so they are on their way to NorCal. View attachment 1485108 View attachment 1485109

I see that we are the same size. I had the same impulse and restrained myself for the same reason, they looked a bit dry with dark creases. I hope they turn out well! That was a great price!

 

[meister]

Those are great looking shoes! I don’t know much about Edwin Clapp — other than the fact that I have lusted after some of the Alligator/Crocodile styles I have seen. I guess if they could be some of the best shoes of all time, I need to take a closer look at them!

Finest factory made shoe in the USA.

From the classic shoes site

Clapp began in operations as a textile mill in the first quarter of the 19th century, provided uniforms during Civil War. After surviving a catastrophic fire and a subsequent bankruptcy Clapp transformed itself in the middle of the century into a shoemaking operation and remained in operation, to my knowledge, until at least 1969. For much of the early 20th century, the Clapp shoe was synonymous with luxury and considered the panicle of the shoemaker’s craft. Their products were favoured by musicians and other celebrities, businessmen, and well dressed men of leisure. Jelly Roll Morton, speaking of jazz and turn of the century life in New Orleans, remarked in a 1938 recording now preserved in the Library of Congress, “I didn’t rest until I got myself a Stetson hat and a pair of Edwin Clapp shoes”. Clapp sold its products through regular trade channels but also operated two retail stores of their own in New York.

Few shoes in this website or anywhere compare to this elegant historical tour-de-force, either for hand-craftsmanship, for sheer beauty and certainly not for rarity.

 

[suitforcourt]

Mystery shell Florsheim PTBs. A cobbler rebuilt with house soles, sole protectors, and rubber heels. He dyed them to this chocolate brown.

 

[Nobleprofessor]

Mystery shell Florsheim PTBs. A cobbler rebuilt with house soles, sole protectors, and rubber heels. He dyed them to this chocolate brown.

View attachment 1485273 View attachment 1485274

Is dyeing Shell as effective as dyeing calf? I would think that the dye would sort of eliminate all the interesting depth and variations that Shell has.

 

[jpm1]

70s MTO Florsheim NST in smooth black calfskin with Vcleat.

 

[friendlygoz]

I see that we are the same size. I had the same impulse and restrained myself for the same reason, they looked a bit dry with dark creases. I hope they turn out well! That was a great price!

Good to know there’s another 9D brother. Fingers crossed that they aren’t dry!

 

[Hotel Cali]

They sold in one hour. I wish they were my size. The stitching is impressive.

Hi David.

Does your watch list of the quickly sold items (within hours of listing) added to your watch list after the sale?

Or do they make the watch list when they are first available?

Either way, it is a great to have your watchlist resource for browsing and for reference.

 

[Nealjpage]

I see that we are the same size. I had the same impulse and restrained myself for the same reason, they looked a bit dry with dark creases. I hope they turn out well! That was a great price!

Good to know there’s another 9D brother. Fingers crossed that they aren’t dry!

Also, I've been known to wear 9D on occasion.

 

[Hotel Cali]

Is dyeing Shell as effective as dyeing calf? I would think that the dye would sort of eliminate all the interesting depth and variations that Shell has.

I did strip and re-dye a pair of #8 shell AE Leeds. I was aiming for more coke red but applied too many layers and it turned out a deep burgundy. It looks like a deep solid burgundy color which is nice. It did lack the lite translucent variation I was hoping for.

Maybe the next attempt will have better aim.

 

[kilowatts]

Hi Guys:

The continuing story of my parcels from Blaine....
I ordered seven parcels including 2 pairs of shoes, vintage LWB and NOS boots. They sat on the shelf in the post box company since April and the start of Covid. Recently I arranged for them to be mailed USPS to me from Blaine 10-15 minutes away from my house. They are being shipped to Canada from Blaine, WA via California and then to Quebec and from there to Vancouver! Democracy in action, eh? I guess they'll arrive sometime.

kilowatts

 

[Hotel Cali]

Florsheim Blue today.

 

[sam67]

Interesting thrift day. A Florsheim blue, terry craddock , footjoy golf and jfl Corp loafer. Loafer a men’s store in Atlanta. (bottom to top) and a sweet Irish tweed sport coat!

 

[woofmang]

Hi Guys:

The continuing story of my parcels from Blaine....
I ordered seven parcels including 2 pairs of shoes, vintage LWB and NOS boots. They sat on the shelf in the post box company since April and the start of Covid. Recently I arranged for them to be mailed USPS to me from Blaine 10-15 minutes away from my house. They are being shipped to Canada from Blaine, WA via California and then to Quebec and from there to Vancouver! Democracy in action, eh? I guess they'll arrive sometime.

kilowatts

Well, that's USPS and Canada Post for you...

 

[stook1]

not mine

VTG Keith Highlander Shell Cordovan Long-Wing Dress Shoes 10 C/A Burgundy | eBay

Keith Highlander, Shell Cordovan (Burgundy). Shoe trees not included.

www.ebay.com