Vintage Edward Green: John Hlustik's Windsor

[PhiloVance]

In your opinion, what is a fair (i.e. not a "massive ripp off") price for a resole?

 

[fritzl]



In your opinion, what is a fair (i.e. not a "massive ripp off") price for a resole?

i've seen very good work for around a third. handsewn and not gyw machine made.

have to check what the actual rate is for wood pegged at my place. haven't had a resole in years...

 

[bengal-stripe]

Ever since the year dot, the price for re-crafting of a pair of shoes has been approximately just under one third of the price for a new pair of basic shoes (leaving aside premiums for exotic upper leathers}. Whenever it was, that new shoes retailed at six guineas (in decimal GBP 6.30) the cost for a re-craft would have been maybe 39 s (GBP 1.95).

So, GBP 120 for a pair of C&J is very much in line (C&J has two different prices, depending on whether or not the shoes have channelled soles).

 

[Leather man]

I was told exactly the same thing by a retired manager of Church's shoes when I told him how much Edward Green charge for resoling. He said it was fair as the rule of thumb is, as you say, 1/3rd of the price of a new pair.

 

[PhiloVance]

So I finally received the Windsors back from EG. I know there has been a lot of criticism of the company lately on the forum, and the entire recrafting process certainly was not without its bumps and hiccups - but the folks at EG really did quite a job on these shoes. The soles and heels obviously look brand new, and while the uppers might not pass for brand spanking NIB, they look really, really good. Pics and commentary posted here:

http://uptowndandy.blogspot.com/2011/07/vintage-edward-greens-windsor-redux.html

 

[bengal-stripe]

Congratulations, Philo! - The shoes look absolutely wonderful.

EG have done the shoes, the late John Hlustik and themselves proud.

 

[kev777]

Edward Green have come in for some stick here recently but credit where credit is due they have done an absolutely fantastic job with those.

 

[luk-cha]

these look great - nice job done

 

[PhiloVance]

For some 11.5 out there who is interested in doing his own recraft (Meister gave me a heads up on these earlier):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220818672076&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

A bit pricey for used EGs but you can make an offer.

 

[unbelragazzo]

How much does it cost to get the recrafting done?

 

[VRaivio]

Philovance, thanks again for this wonderful history bit. I'll be keeping an eye on your blog from now on.

 

[fritzl]



So I finally received the Windsors back from EG.

they darkened them. what a disaster. pv, i feel very sorry for you.

they really deserve the bashing. this is too annoying.

 

[bengal-stripe]



they darkened them. what a disaster. pv, i feel very sorry for you.

More likely, EG returned the leather to it’s original colour
by reversing more than three decades of drying-out and fading.

 

[well-kept]



they darkened them. what a disaster. pv, i feel very sorry for you.

they really deserve the bashing. this is too annoying.

Fritzl,
Don't know how I ever could have been so mistaken as to find you habitually negative. My mistake.

Philo,

I think Edward Green did a first rate restoration job on these. They look beautiful. Wear them with pleasure.

 

[PhiloVance]

Thank you for the kind words, well-kept and vraivio. I'm really quite pleased with the results.

Bengal/Fritzl, while a darkening of the leather has definitely occurred, the shoes are still quite light, and the slight change has succeeded in minimizing the staining that could not be removed. I think Bengal is probably right in that the original color was the result of years of polishing and dried out leather because the color current color is more in line with what I have seen of Acorn elsewhere. The before and after images are probably not the best barometer, as I am not the greatest photographer and I believe the before pictures were taken with a flash and the after pictures benefitted from the natural light. The lighting difference has probaby exaggerated the difference somewhat.