Alfred Sargent Handgrade - Pictures

Originally Posted by edmorel

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My comment was aesthetic more than construction. I have never held A&S handgrades and Nore's and the captoes above look great. My issue is that A&S do not seem to have a "personality". Look at the Leffot A&S shoes (not one there that I would wear). Are those English shoes?, Italian? English take on Italian? etc etc. St.Crispins is obviously a Astro Hungarian shoe. It's beautifully made and not pretentious. Edward Green are obviously English shoes. Again, beautifully made and unpretentious. A&S seems to be going in a weird direction but keep in mind that this is coming from a man that does not like musuem calf and its variants nor do I like the forum obsession with ever smaller beveled waist and higher heels. At the end of the day, it's your money and what I think is gorgeous is another man's disgusting. Just like with women.

I'm in agreement here. The brand feels like it is searching for a "look". There's been some nice ASs but never anything I've seen that feels evocative and unique of them.

Originally Posted by Pliny

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figured it was prob meant for a laugh from a man who loves his norwegers - Dincks even. I'm going off delicate. Less hair i have on top the more shoe I want on the bottom. Why can't all trees be like that? good for hot climates.

it's a question of prize. not everyone wants to spend money on trees. they spent their money on lousy factory recrafts

Originally Posted by edmorel

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St.Crispins is obviously a Austro Hungarian shoe.

ed, i hear you walking, despite this little fact.

irl, they are not typical ambassadors for the classic styles. though, they found their style and their strategy and direction is settled, yet.

Originally Posted by Lightbringer

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I'm in agreement here. The brand feels like it is searching for a "look". There's been some nice ASs but never anything I've seen that feels evocative and unique of them.

I feel the same way about them. To me they look like slightly less agressive G&G. However AS does have some very nice finishing that is very subtle on the welts and soles. For example, if you look at the welts they have this little bevel where it meets the sole rather than being squared off like on most shoes. Also the waist curvature and such is very smooth and even. These little details I find nice to admire, but not enough to make me pull the trigger on a pair when I could just as easily get G&G or EG. Also, after speaking with Chay he said that the leathers and materials of their Premier range is exactly the same as the handgrade range just without the finishing. I don't know if they are sourcing their leathers and materials from the same places as some of the other high end makers so...

Random question here but maybe this is the best place to get an answer. How does the 99 last fit compared to the 87 last? I've seen the 99 last before, but I've never tried it on. The reason I ask is that the 87 last (which fits me) doesn't appear to be available on the "AS Exclusive" range but the 99 last is. Just wondering if they are analogous the the EG 202/606 (round/square).

Originally Posted by edmorel

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My comment was aesthetic more than construction. I have never held A&S handgrades and Nore's and the captoes above look great. My issue is that A&S do not seem to have a "personality". Look at the Leffot A&S shoes (not one there that I would wear). Are those English shoes?, Italian? English take on Italian? etc etc. St.Crispins is obviously a Astro Hungarian shoe. It's beautifully made and not pretentious. Edward Green are obviously English shoes. Again, beautifully made and unpretentious. A&S seems to be going in a weird direction but keep in mind that this is coming from a man that does not like musuem calf and its variants nor do I like the forum obsession with ever smaller beveled waist and higher heels. At the end of the day, it's your money and what I think is gorgeous is another man's disgusting. Just like with women.

ED, you really should try and stop into Leffot today, the AS handgrade shoes are even more beautiful in person. There are some models not yet pictured online at the trunk show and they are worth every dollar. Comfort is another huge plus and I reach for my AS shoes more than anything else especially when there is a lot of walking involved.

Originally Posted by NORE

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ED, you really should try and stop into Leffot today, the AS handgrade shoes are even more beautiful in person. There are some models not yet pictured online at the trunk show and they are worth every dollar. Comfort is another huge plus and I reach for my AS shoes more than anything else especially when there is a lot of walking involved.

will you be there?

Originally Posted by ThinkDerm

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quite nice. grailesque

Thanks

Originally Posted by Pliny

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Beautiful? these are stunning.

No bevel? can't see it in this pic

Thanks, yes they have, more pics here http://www.styleforum.net/showpost.p...&postcount=193

Originally Posted by fullb

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more pics here http://www.styleforum.net/showpost.p...&postcount=193

the link gives a better impression.

just interested about the massive toe spring in the current picture? any idea?

Originally Posted by fullb

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Thanks



Thanks, yes they have, more pics here http://www.styleforum.net/showpost.p...&postcount=193

Great pics thanks. the finish is spectaclar, looks almost like a ceramic glaze, although could just be the photos. someone mentioned the Premier range and the HGs have the same leather - as (maybe) a bad thing. You hear anything on their sourcing? I understand their leather is semi-crust - like EG

Originally Posted by Pliny

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Great pics thanks. the finish is spectaclar, looks almost like a ceramic glaze, although could just be the photos. someone mentioned the Premier range and the HGs have the same leather - as (maybe) a bad thing. You hear anything on their sourcing? I understand their leather is semi-crust - like EG

What about the exclusive range?

Originally Posted by Knowledge is King

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Random question here but maybe this is the best place to get an answer. How does the 99 last fit compared to the 87 last? I've seen the 99 last before, but I've never tried it on. The reason I ask is that the 87 last (which fits me) doesn't appear to be available on the "AS Exclusive" range but the 99 last is. Just wondering if they are analogous the the EG 202/606 (round/square).

I think the 99 is a little wider at the ball of the foot and more narrow at the toe. The pic I posted a few pages back has an 87 next to a 99. Brooks Bros shoes are often in one of these two lasts. But it might be best for you to ask Chay. I've been asking him to post pics of the different lasts for a while, be he hasn't been able to get around to it. I'd be a big project.

Originally Posted by edmorel

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will you be there?

I had just come back from. Saw a dude that was at your thing while I was there, too.

Originally Posted by theyare

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What about the exclusive range?

My understanding is that all shoes, from Premier to Hand-grade, are cut from the same kind of (butt) leather, the difference being the number of shoes per skin, or in the case of the Hand-grades, skins per pair of shoes.

Premiers may be cut three to a hide, but for Hand-grades 'we cut only one pair per skin and that is after sorting through up to ten skins to select the best one'. Plus the finish on the Hand-grades is 'different or superior'.

I'm guessing the Exclusives are somewhere in-between.


http://alfred-sargent.blogspot.com/2010/05/leather.html

Originally Posted by NORE

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I had just come back from. Saw a dude that was at your thing while I was there, too.

phew, dodged a bullet!

Anyway, I've seen some real nice AS, the two in this thread and some boots from others, not sure why Leffot was highlighting the ones in their blog.