Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[instigateur]

Vintage Wings Week - Tuesday

Barrie LTD Longwings

Love the fit, feel and triple thick soles. True gun boats.

 

[happypebble]

@happypebble welcome to the thread, and as a fellow wearer of size 13 D let me assure you that they're out there for you to find. I think Easy-Flex shoes were made by French Shriner.

Thanks for the info! I was guessing maybe Hanover, but French Shriner was a respectable enough brand. The shoes I got are far nicer than anything I've had...almost afraid to wear them.

 

[suitforcourt]

My walnut coloured Hanover LB Sheppards are back from recraft.

St. Paul Minnesota cobbler - Gene Harstock - Hartland shoe repair

My only pair of Hanover LB Sheppards need to be rebuilt. The soles and heel are shot. Even the welt area is crumbling. Trusting Gene to take care of these.

www.styleforum.net

 

[eTrojan]

Gentlemen,
Greetings. I hate to interrupt this thread, but I thought I might de-lurk and present myself for a moment. After reading the first 500 pages of this thread and seeing one amazing pair of shoes after another, I think I want in, but I have *no* knowledge in these things; also I have an odd shoe size, 13D, which makes finding anything nice a chore. Judging from what I see in this thread, everybody's more like a 9.5?The time may have come to upgrade my shoes (Thom McAn right now). By the way, I just received these from eBay: would anyone care to guess as to manufacturer? Thank you and I promise not to be an annoying noob.

Sears Vintage 70127 Easy Flex Brogue Brown Wingtip Oxfords Men's US 13 D | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Sears Vintage 70127 Easy Flex Brogue Brown Wingtip Oxfords Men's US 13 D at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

There are tons of size 13 out there. You just have to set up “Saved Searches” on eBay with several combinations of classic shoes. 13 Nettleton, 13 Florsheim, 13 Hanover, 13 Footjoy, etc. Check them daily or hourly, or every few days or every few hours as your neurosis allows and wait for something you like.

It will take some time to figure out which manufacturers fit better. Some you may want to move up a size or down a width, etc. Since we’re not buying in a store, it can be a little hit or miss to start. I’ve managed to accumulate 60+ vintage shoes over the last two years, and I’m a size 13 A (or AA, depending on the manufacturer and last). They’re out there to be had. Sometimes feast (3 pairs in a week) and sometimes it’s famine (nothing worth pursuing for weeks at a time). Take it as it comes.

 

[kilowatts]

My walnut coloured Hanover LB Sheppards are back from recraft.

St. Paul Minnesota cobbler - Gene Harstock - Hartland shoe repair

My only pair of Hanover LB Sheppards need to be rebuilt. The soles and heel are shot. Even the welt area is crumbling. Trusting Gene to take care of these.

www.styleforum.net

That looks like a top quality re-craft, suit. Is it as good as it looks?

kilowatts

 

[kilowatts]

There are tons of size 13 out there. You just have to set up “Saved Searches” on eBay with several combinations of classic shoes. 13 Nettleton, 13 Florsheim, 13 Hanover, 13 Footjoy, etc. Check them daily or hourly, or every few days or every few hours as your neurosis allows and wait for something you like.

It will take some time to figure out which manufacturers fit better. Some you may want to move up a size or down a width, etc. Since we’re not buying in a store, it can be a little hit or miss to start. I’ve managed to accumulate 60+ vintage shoes over the last two years, and I’m a size 13 A (or AA, depending on the manufacturer and last). They’re out there to be had. Sometimes feast (3 pairs in a week) and sometimes it’s famine (nothing worth pursuing for weeks at a time). Take it as it comes.

Hi Guys:

I think Trojan put that very well and reflects the hunt for shoes accurately. I'm not a size 13 but I've seen lots which are do-able when I go out thrifting. I guess the message is simply to keep on searching and kiss a lot of frogs before you get to the Princess!

kilowatts

 

[suitforcourt]

That looks like a top quality re-craft, suit. Is it as good as it looks?

kilowatts

The work is good. Not as refined as Steve from Bedos or Brian from Sole Man. But Gene's prices are much lower and he took a long time.

I only used Gene because I sold him shoes, and he couldn't figure out how to pay me (doesn't have PayPal or know how to e-transfer).

So I sent him shoes for recraft and bartered.

We have some amazing cobblers in Canada. Quick Cobbler in Vancouver is one of my go to places. I also like Dan Frappier in Sudbury, Corey Hiltz in Barrie, and Martin Sugg in Thunder Bay. All are award winners in same competitions as Steve from Bedos.

 

[suitforcourt]

92604s for wingtip Wednesday.

 

[Paul902]

Calling Nunn Bush experts!

Can anyone put a window on when these were manufactured, by the liner script, style, heel liner window, etc? Is this a replacement heel, or original? I have a similar replacement heel on my Calderone, but without the nails.

 

[mormonopoly]

Calling Nunn Bush experts!

Can anyone put a window on when these were manufactured, by the liner script, style, heel liner window, etc? Is this a replacement heel, or original? I have a similar replacement heel on my Calderone, but without the nails.

View attachment 1190997 View attachment 1190998 View attachment 1190999

Those look later 60s to me. I have a few midcentury pairs of Nunn bush, and none have heels like that, so I think they’re replacements.

 

[Paul902]

Those look later 60s to me. I have a few midcentury pairs of Nunn bush, and none have heels like that, so I think they’re replacements.

Thank you!

Is Ankle Fashioned or Custom Grade a rare thing? I see that they had Ankle Fashioned since the mid 40's at least.

 

[kilowatts]

Hi Guys:

I built my house a couple of years ago and installed a custom shoe rack built into the closet:

kilowatts

 

[kilowatts]

Hi Guys:

Re. Nunn-Bush:

I have a pair of "Custom Autograph" Nunn-Bush shoe which I like just fine. I think they're from the 70's or 80's. If I remember rightly, vcleat has something on his site explaining the quality of Nunn-Bush with "Ankle Fashioned" (odd choice of name I've always thought) being their premium line. That brand is older than "Custom Autograph" but I'm not sure by how much. Mormonopoly is most likely right with his estimate.

I've just re-read my post and found I added nothing to the conversation! Sorry guys!

kilowatts

 

[Paul902]

Hi Guys:

Re. Nunn-Bush:

I have a pair of "Custom Autograph" Nunn-Bush shoe which I like just fine. I think they're from the 70's or 80's. If I remember rightly, vcleat has something on his site explaining the quality of Nunn-Bush with "Ankle Fashioned" (odd choice of name I've always thought) being their premium line. That brand is older than "Custom Autograph" but I'm not sure by how much. Mormonopoly is most likely right with his estimate.

I've just re-read my post and found I added nothing to the conversation! Sorry guys!

kilowatts

Au contraire! Now I know there is a thing called "Custom Autograph", and that if I more thoroughly read Vcleat I might glean something about "Ankle Fashioned". I was not even aware it was their top of the line.

PS what are those loden suede NSTs in the middle of the second shelf? Gorgeous!

 

[mormonopoly]

Hi Guys:

Re. Nunn-Bush:

I have a pair of "Custom Autograph" Nunn-Bush shoe which I like just fine. I think they're from the 70's or 80's. If I remember rightly, vcleat has something on his site explaining the quality of Nunn-Bush with "Ankle Fashioned" (odd choice of name I've always thought) being their premium line. That brand is older than "Custom Autograph" but I'm not sure by how much. Mormonopoly is most likely right with his estimate.

I've just re-read my post and found I added nothing to the conversation! Sorry guys!

kilowatts

From the shoes I’ve seen and handled, I haven’t been able to piece together too much consistent information. I do believe ankle fashioned was just their standard slogan until sometime around the 60s, rather than it denoting a specific line. The custom grade shoes I’ve seen tend to look late 50s-60s and I’ve seen some that are very high quality and other that are more average. It could be like the imperial moniker which is supposed to be the higher end line but in reality varies wildly in quality