Balmoral Boots

[MB5]

I was looking through this great collection of images for inspiration for my first attempt at bootmaking and was quite excited by UK-15718 in Flat Foot Floey's post "Some french balmoral boots from the fall/winter 1933/34 catalog "Au bon marche"". In my leatherwork I like to avoid seams whenever possible, but I really wanted to start with Balmoral boots. Is the UK-15718 Brodequin a 1933/34 example of a wholecut Balmoral boot?



The catalog designates it as simply Boot rather than Balmoral, but the image looks like a wholecut Balmoral and the description translates as:

Boot, box calf
black, double leather sole, seamless, heel sewn.

Admittedly the boot does have a pull strap, but that feature does appear on Balmoral boots from other makers and the boot could still be completely seamless under the strap.

Thoughts?

And thank you for your input!

 

[LuvMyMan]

I was looking through this great collection of images for inspiration for my first attempt at bootmaking and was quite excited by UK-15718 in Flat Foot Floey's post "Some french balmoral boots from the fall/winter 1933/34 catalog "Au bon marche"". In my leatherwork I like to avoid seams whenever possible, but I really wanted to start with Balmoral boots. Is the UK-15718 Brodequin a 1933/34 example of a wholecut Balmoral boot?

View attachment 13921

The catalog designates it as simply Boot rather than Balmoral, but the image looks like a wholecut Balmoral and the description translates as:

Boot, box calf
black, double leather sole, seamless, heel sewn.

Admittedly the boot does have a pull strap, but that feature does appear on Balmoral boots from other makers and the boot could still be completely seamless under the strap.

Thoughts?

And thank you for your input!

Hard to tell from the illustration, however, if you like them and can make a pair, then go for it!

 

[herringbonekid]

saw some very nice Alden boots today (in Liberty, London) but can't find an image of them online. they were black toe cap derbys (not balmorals), with a good in-curved ankle (the bit me and Rudie keep going on about no one getting right ... at least someone is doing it !)
very 20s-30s looking. dressy-work boots.

 

[Rudie]

That's the shape:

 

[herringbonekid]

yes, perfect shape. are those your's Rudie ?

 

[Rudie]

Yes. Alas, way too narrow for me. I can't even get my feet inside. Custom made in 1915 and never worn.

 

[herringbonekid]

ouch.

 

[Rudie]

Yes, perfect length. It was a major bummer.

 

[Rudie]

 

[herringbonekid]

i'm sure those boots could be reproduced exactly (but wider) by a Northampton factory.

 

[Rudie]

But they don't do it.

Look at Aero's offering:

They want to do the right thing, but they fail miserably.

 

[herringbonekid]

i mean someone like us would have to go to the factory with the original boot, and oversee the copying of it - without compromise - ... then order a limited run.
it would require money obviously.

 

[Rudie]

Obviously. But at Aero's they wanted to reproduce a shoe just like that. They could have done it, but they compromised like there's no tomorrow. If they offered a shoe like that I am sure they would make more profit than with their current model. Because it's something nobody else offers.

 

[Fastuni]

Rudie, I probably lack the eye for boots... but what details do you dislike regarding the Aero boot?
The curve of the ankle?

 

[Rudie]

The sole is just flat, mine have a nice curve. They just batched on a modern shaped sole. The toebox also looks flat and uninspired. And, of course, the ankle curve.

 

[Fastuni]

I've got two pairs of ankle boots, which I can't date... (brown and black).
Will post some photos tomorrow, as you guys are certainly more knowledgeable than me on this.

 

[Two Types]

i'm sure those boots could be reproduced exactly (but wider) by a Northampton factory.

It would be interesting to find out if any of the factories could reproduce that ankle curve and narrow waist now. I don't know enough about the technical side of boot making to know whether it's easily reproduced. But I do know the right man to ask.

 

[herringbonekid]

It would be interesting to find out if any of the factories could reproduce that ankle curve and narrow waist now.

i'm certain it could be done, it would just be a question of who's willing to stump up the cash.
i heard that modern one-piece lasts would be difficult to get out of a narrow-waisted boot, but since the lasts would have to be created especially for this Edwardian style boot anyway, they could also be made as the earlier three-piece last.

 

[Isshinryu101]

Yes. Alas, way too narrow for me. I can't even get my feet inside. Custom made in 1915 and never worn.

Very post 1915, but they were very nice to handle. HATE those crazy ultra-narrow sizes. Dr. Scholls did some great custom shoes.

 

[Fastuni]

Got those two deadstock ankle boots...

I figure that the brown ones are newer, but can you guys tell something about the likeliest age?