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Quantum17

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I’m not sure how superstition works or how it starts. Repetitive coincidences? Every time I found a vintage my size, I feel a little tingling inside. Coincidence? All of them are my lucky shoes.

Presenting late 50s JC Penney Towncraft U-wing with part of its box ? I think the descendants of original owner didn’t have enough space for the box, but still want to keep some information about the shoes for resale. The price on the cutouts reads $10.95. It’s size 10.5 and might be involved in an international trade ?
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happypebble

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I’m not sure how superstition works or how it starts. Repetitive coincidences? Every time I found a vintage my size, I feel a little tingling inside. Coincidence? All of them are my lucky shoes.

Presenting late 50s JC Penney Towncraft U-wing with part of its box ? I think the descendants of original owner didn’t have enough space for the box, but still want to keep some information about the shoes for resale. The price on the cutouts reads $10.95. It’s size 10.5 and might be involved in an international trade ?
View attachment 1686747 View attachment 1686748 View attachment 1686750
♥♥♥
 

happypebble

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You actually can feel it, it’s pretty nice on hot days.
That's awesome! Living in this desert where it reaches 115+ degrees in summer, perhaps I should consider such a pair.
 

happypebble

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You may see that style referred to as a moc toe in vintage ads. Not sure what the more correct term would be, but when you say "moc toe" most people will think Red Wing.
That's interesting. I *would* like to know what the proper term is for those French Shriners.
 

Oshare

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VAvintagewatches

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I think your pair is called an "apron toe" shoe, similar to a split toe but without the split.
It was my understanding that most apron toes and split toes have the vamp sewn on top, not tucked in like those French Shriners. These terms are so obscure though.
 

smfdoc

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Had to go into the office on Friday for a big meeting, so figured I'd wear some comfy shoes. This is the old beat up pair of 93606s that were belching orange midsole cork dust when I got them, so I had them resoled with JR soles.

The cordovan is still really supple, but the rewelting tightened up the originally mushy fit and they are one of my most comfortable pairs now. I just hope the uppers hold up over time.

View attachment 1686889

Keep them hydrated and avoid storing in a hot attic and they will likely outlive you.
 

VintageZealot

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I think of these as gunboats due to their thick sole but since they aren't LWBs they probably aren't officially gunboats.
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This is the pair of mysterious Sears shoes from awhile ago that I suspect were made by Hanover in the 1970s based on searching this thread for similar pairs. Some of the mysteries about them have been solved after taking them to my cobbler.

The extremely stiff leather turned out not to be the leather that was stiff, but some sort of plastic layer between the inner and outer leathers that makes them stiff. I assume these being for Sears and aimed more at the working class this must have been some way of making them heavier duty?

It also turned out that the hard piece that was pushing down on my foot at the bottom of the saddle was just a piece of loose stitching hanging down that when pushed up solved the problem.

Some new pictures I took of them after they were cleaned up and I redid the laces:
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This pair is the closest thing I have to gunboats, but even if they technically aren't gunboats they still make a good heavy duty pair of shoes that look somewhat dressy.
 

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