Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[Oshare]

This pair of 93605s landed at my door while I was on a zoom call, so they were intercepted by spousal customs.
After a bit of explaining (apologizing) they were allowed through.

I acquired them off Yahoo Japan's auction site from a Japanese gentleman who bought them while living in New York in the late 80s.

There's a bit of a deep crease on the right vamp, so I'm going to hit it with several coats of Bick 4 and hope that it doesn't turn into a deeper crack. But overall they are in pretty nice shape.

I already have a really nice pair that I got from @stook1 so I didn't need another pair of 93605s, but this one had made a few rounds on the auction block with a slowly decreasing price tag and 21 people eyeing them... so I decided to pull the trigger before I had to watch them get away.

This new pair is a very wide 9.5EEE which I don't see too often for Florsheim LWBs, so I'll see how they fit me.

 

[stook1]

This pair of 93605s landed at my door while I was on a zoom call, so they were intercepted by spousal customs.
After a bit of explaining (apologizing) they were allowed through.

View attachment 1648662

I acquired them off Yahoo Japan's auction site from a Japanese gentleman who bought them while living in New York in the late 80s.

There's a bit of a deep crease on the right vamp, so I'm going to hit it with several coats of Bick 4 and hope that it doesn't turn into a deeper crack. But overall they are in pretty nice shape.

I already have a really nice pair that I got from @stook1 so I didn't need another pair of 93605s, but this one had made a few rounds on the auction block with a slowly decreasing price tag and 21 people eyeing them... so I decided to pull the trigger before I had to watch them get away.

This new pair is a very wide 9.5EEE which I don't see too often for Florsheim LWBs, so I'll see how they fit me.

That was my 1st pair of 93605s, which I missized… glad you are enjoying them still. I had a 9.5eee pair not too long ago. They may be a bit high volume for you but I bet they’d work well with a thin insert. I actually like the fit of that size myself. Looking forward to restoration pics!

 

[CWOyaji]

The C&J’s from yesterday. These already have heel taps and Topy on them.

Stone mint uppers too.

 

[friendlygoz]

Modded 93602s today.

 

[Nealjpage]

I finally wrapped up these Eisenhower-era Bostonian captoes and had a chance to wear them. They're a bit snug but not too terrible.

And I just noticed that I laced them differently. Oops.

 

[EdwardWilson]

Vintage Florsheim 30679 Varsity arrived today. Shortly they will be cleaned with saddle soap, Renovateur, possibly a colour cream and new welts and soles.

 

[EdwardWilson]

This pair of 93605s landed at my door while I was on a zoom call, so they were intercepted by spousal customs.
After a bit of explaining (apologizing) they were allowed through.

View attachment 1648662

I acquired them off Yahoo Japan's auction site from a Japanese gentleman who bought them while living in New York in the late 80s.

There's a bit of a deep crease on the right vamp, so I'm going to hit it with several coats of Bick 4 and hope that it doesn't turn into a deeper crack. But overall they are in pretty nice shape.

I already have a really nice pair that I got from @stook1 so I didn't need another pair of 93605s, but this one had made a few rounds on the auction block with a slowly decreasing price tag and 21 people eyeing them... so I decided to pull the trigger before I had to watch them get away.

This new pair is a very wide 9.5EEE which I don't see too often for Florsheim LWBs, so I'll see how they fit me.

How do you access Japan's Yahoo auction site? I have heard it is paradise for vintage shoes.

 

[Oshare]

How do you access Japan's Yahoo auction site? I have heard it is paradise for vintage shoes.

I live in Japan and speak Japanese, so it's easier.

Yahoo!オークション - 日本最大級のネットオークション・フリマアプリ

Yahoo!オークションは、お店にないものも見つかる買える　日本最大級のネットオークション・フリマアプリです。圧倒的人気のオークションに加え、フリマ出品ですぐ売れる、買える商品もたくさん！

auctions.yahoo.co.jp

Verification of accounts and payments may be possible, but a lot of Japanese systems are interconnected. Not sure if you can use a credit card tied to a non-Japanese bank. And they will SMS your phone to verify accounts and payments -- not sure if it works for non-Japanese phone numbers.

But even if you can't get an account, don't feel too bad -- most prices here are about 100% ~ 300% higher than what you might find on eBay. Every once in a while you might get lucky, but in general the prices are just silly compared to what they would fetch on eBay.

 

[EdwardWilson]

I live in Japan and speak Japanese, so it's easier.

Yahoo!オークション - 日本最大級のネットオークション・フリマアプリ

Yahoo!オークションは、お店にないものも見つかる買える　日本最大級のネットオークション・フリマアプリです。圧倒的人気のオークションに加え、フリマ出品ですぐ売れる、買える商品もたくさん！

auctions.yahoo.co.jp

Verification of accounts and payments may be possible, but a lot of Japanese systems are interconnected. Not sure if you can use a credit card tied to a non-Japanese bank. And they will SMS your phone to verify accounts and payments -- not sure if it works for non-Japanese phone numbers.

But even if you can't get an account, don't feel too bad -- most prices here are about 100% ~ 300% higher than what you might find on eBay. Every once in a while you might get lucky, but in general the prices are just silly compared to what they would fetch on eBay.

Thank you. I was looking at Super8Shoes at they want almost $700 USD for an 80s pair of AE MacNeils.

Bizarrely, a pair of AE MacNeils that I am selling on eBay for $199 USD is being offered on the Japanese Yahoo auction site for $300 USD!

 

[Oshare]

That's the Japan market price premium.

And, yes, there's a reseller who picks up eBay listings and then offers them on Yahoo's Japan site at a significant mark up for their proxy service.

 

[JFWR]

I recently thrifted these non-Imperial Florsheim lizard bit loafers which I think are from around December of 1991.
Unfortunately they have some scrapes on the toes and I don't think they're as high quality as most of my vintage shoes because the soles appear to be cemented. With that said the soles are still leather, the uppers are made from an exotic leather, and despite being a bit small they still fit me.
At only $7 I don't think that's too bad!
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Great find. I wonder why so many exotic shoes were cemented?

 

[Vincent George]

That's the Japan market price premium.

And, yes, there's a reseller who picks up eBay listings and then offers them on Yahoo's Japan site at a significant mark up for their proxy service.

When I bought my 97626s on the bay last year, the seller was surprised at my Massachusetts address as “most of [her] Florsheims go to Japan…”

 

[friendlygoz]

Florsheim guardsman boots today.

 

[EdwardWilson]

That's the Japan market price premium.

And, yes, there's a reseller who picks up eBay listings and then offers them on Yahoo's Japan site at a significant mark up for their proxy service.

Oshare - You and I need to go into business together. I’ll send you Florsheims and AEs and you re-sell them in Japan.

 

[Quantum17]

James Brown first jumped into his famous jazz split in 1951. The world was fascinated. Not many knew, but Mr. Brown did not have any more children after.
It was raining yesterday in my neighborhood. Cut to the chase, we are spending our vasectomy savings elsewhere. Presenting my regrettable choice for rainy shoes, 60s 70s JM PTB.