1920s Boots Replication

[Aydin C.]

Hi everyone I'm new to the forum. Almost 4 years ago when I was 18 I got some good condition boots from the 1920s for a very low price. Unfortunately since then the fragile leather has cracked to an unfixable point. I'm not a fan of modern boots they all look clunky to me and I don't like that the heel has no arch. Old boots are hard to find and often have broguing which I don't like (the boots i have are free of broguing). If anyone could steer me in the direction of someone who could replicate my boots for a not too expensive price I'd really appreciate it. Thanks

 

[jpto]

https://whitesboots.com/field/semi-dress/

I’d try a pair of Whites semi dress

 

[Aydin C.]

Thanks they're nice but not quite right for my style, the original ones are really sleek and I love that about them. Modern boots don't seem to have the tight arch that the original boots did. I know the ones I have are balmoral boots but a lot of the modern reproductions don't quite satisfy me. I'd really really like to have mine remade because there are some features of them I really admire.

 

[Davy Crockett]

You could have a look at the Sutton or Elliot Derby boots by Joseph Cheaney they have a 20's look to them.

D

 

[Nobert]

I've been speculatively poking around in this area myself, Thursday boots seem to have had favorable reviews.

There's also a company with the ungainly name To Boot New York, but they are pa-ricey. (They sometimes have leather soles whereas the Thursdays have synthetic ones.)

There are a coule of outfits out of Pakistan that have shown up on Ebay, but I can't find out anything about them.

 

[GHT]

Aydin, you don't say where you are from, Jacamo have a range of boots at budget prices, these retro military boots are just £30. They ship worldwide if you are not in the UK.

 

[Aydin C.]

Thanks for the replies. A couple years ago I ordered some used size 9 to boot boots from Ebay. I'm typically 9.5 but these size 9 boots were closer to most companies 11 and I had to return them. They were nice but the finish on them wasn't to my liking and the quality wasn't as nice as my boots from the 20s. Thanks everyone for the replies but these modern production boots don't have the sleekness of the originals that I'm really chasing after. The heel arch of old boots seems to universally be a lot more closely fitted than modern boots and that's the look I really want and love.. Also if possible I really prefer a closed vamp. I think I'll need to have a replica custom made from my original boots, I'm located in Mt. Vernon, Washington but I'm willing to ship my original boots to a cobbler to copy them if anyone has suggestions.

 

[GHT]

Having them made might prove very expensive. There was a member here on The Lounge, name of SimonC, he did just that and started a business in the process, you can look him up on https://simonjamescathcart.com/ These are the boots that he had reproduced.

 

[Bfd70]

Can you post a better picture of your current boots. I’m not 100% sure what you are looking for based on your description. I’m not clear what you mean regarding “heel arch.”

 

[Bfd70]

https://www.wolverine.com/US/en/ori...-footwear-casuals-wolverine-1000-mile&start=1

 

[Nobert]

Thanks for the replies. A couple years ago I ordered some used size 9 to boot boots from Ebay. I'm typically 9.5 but these size 9 boots were closer to most companies 11 and I had to return them. They were nice but the finish on them wasn't to my liking and the quality wasn't as nice as my boots from the 20s.

As I said, I've been poking around in this area, so thanks for the heads-up about T.B.N.Y. sizes. Now I'm kind of glad I lost that Ebay auction. I hope the snipey little tapeworm gets blisters on his blisters.

 

[Blackadder]

Thanks for the replies. A couple years ago I ordered some used size 9 to boot boots from Ebay. I'm typically 9.5 but these size 9 boots were closer to most companies 11 and I had to return them. They were nice but the finish on them wasn't to my liking and the quality wasn't as nice as my boots from the 20s. Thanks everyone for the replies but these modern production boots don't have the sleekness of the originals that I'm really chasing after. The heel arch of old boots seems to universally be a lot more closely fitted than modern boots and that's the look I really want and love.. Also if possible I really prefer a closed vamp. I think I'll need to have a replica custom made from my original boots, I'm located in Mt. Vernon, Washington but I'm willing to ship my original boots to a cobbler to copy them if anyone has suggestions.

Basically, you are asking for bespoke. First the maker needs to make a last though for you it is out of your boots and not your actual feet. Then the maker needs to draw the pattern of each piece of leather. After that, comes the actual cutting molding and stitching. It may only be cost effective if you decide to continue to order like more than 10 pairs of boots from the makers using the same last and pattern. For one pair of boot? I would be worried if someone say they can do it for a reasonable price. Oh unless they want to mass produce the boot afterwards.

 

[Aydin C.]

Thanks GHT I'll check out Simon Cz website. Bfd70 yeah I'll upload 2 more photos in this post, I can upload more photos from other shoes to demonstrate the arch also if you want. Nobert, no problem I was really surprised just how large those shoes were. Blackadder, yeah exactly I'm thinking of bespoke. I think I want a few similar pairs, including one that's a Chelsea boot and also one of cloth like these (pre 1910s I think) keds shoes (I'm attaching photos of these). Do you know if a cobbler can make a boot that is otherwise the same from a mold but with a different foot shape? I live in Greece sometimes so maybe I'll try and have them made there, there are a lot of cobblers especially in Crete. I wish I could mass produce some belle epoque boots, if anyone wants to crowd fund a boot factory I'm willing hahaha. Don't know how much wide appeal there'd he sadly..

 

[Blackadder]

Thanks GHT I'll check out Simon Cz website. Bfd70 yeah I'll upload 2 more photos in this post, I can upload more photos from other shoes to demonstrate the arch also if you want. Nobert, no problem I was really surprised just how large those shoes were. Blackadder, yeah exactly I'm thinking of bespoke. I think I want a few similar pairs, including one that's a Chelsea boot and also one of cloth like these (pre 1910s I think) keds shoes (I'm attaching photos of these). Do you know if a cobbler can make a boot that is otherwise the same from a mold but with a different foot shape? I live in Greece sometimes so maybe I'll try and have them made there, there are a lot of cobblers especially in Crete. I wish I could mass produce some belle epoque boots, if anyone wants to crowd fund a boot factory I'm willing hahaha. Don't know how much wide appeal there'd he sadly..

I am not sure I understand what you mean by "a boot that is otherwise the same from a mold but with a different foot shape".
The shape of boot depends on the last. In principle, you can re-use an existing mold by cutting it further down to another narrower, thinner last or probably by adding some sort of clay etc onto it to beef it up. The problem is you would still be crafting/re-crafting a different last and therefore it would not save you much time and money other than the cost of a wooden or plastic block. So even if say one merely want to reduce the height of the heel for a few mm, it would probably still be easier to make a different last/mold in stead of trying to modify an existing last/mold.

 

[Aydin C.]

Thanks I didn't know that about lasts. I meant like going from a more square to round foot for a different boot that is otherwise the same but your post answered the question.