Need help in identifying men's shoe types & styles: General & Specific

[Martina]

Ok, here are the green shoes. I'm sure they are newer than all the rest but
just HOW new is my question.

That says CLUB Italian Shoe, Due Esse, Made in Italy

So that's it for these shoes. I'll take some photos of the buckle shoes if anyone would like to take a crack at dating those.
Thanks!

 

[Martina]

Alligator Nettleton Shoes

I almost forgot that I have these buckle shoes! They are by Nettleton (so are
handmade) and they are definitely alligator. Any thoughts as to the age?

Thanks again for the help. This is like being in college all over again... hmmm,
maybe I should have skipped the science degreen and gone for fashion!!

 

[Orgetorix]

I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help with dating any of these--I don't know vintage eras/dates that well. However, I can offer some thoughts:

1) Shoes that close with buckles like that are called "monk straps," or "monks" for short. They don't belong to any particular period--that illustration is from the 1930s, and they're still made today. Same goes for almost all of the shoes in that illustration--most of the basic styles haven't changed in 70-80 years or more. For what it's worth, the alligator shoes look like quite nice shoes indeed!

2) The shoes on the left of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th shelves are all oxfords (UK usage) or balmorals (US usage)--both terms indicate a style of shoe with "closed" lacing, or where the leather parts that lace together (the "quarters") come together at the bottom and are sewn under the front part of the shoe (the "vamp"). Shoes like this can be made of different kinds and colors of leather, and can be embellished in various ways with stitching and decorative punched holes, called "brogueing." The three pairs in the illustration that you refer to are, top to bottom, brown suede semi-brogue oxfords with a medallion (the decorative holes on the toe cap); plain black calf leather cap-toe oxfords; and brown calf semi-brogue oxfords.

3) The three pairs you posted are a different type of shoe called a derby (UK) or blucher (US)--see how the parts that lace together don't join at the bottom, but curve away from each other? That's called "open" lacing, and it's what distinguishes a derby/blucher from an oxford/balmoral. On the left you have a pair of spectators (the term for most two-tone shoes) with brown (presumably calf) leather and what looks like green suede. In the middle are brown wingtip derbys, sometimes called longwings because the "wings" of the toe cap run all the way back along the entire shoe. On the right are cap-toe derbys with somewhat unusual stitching.

Hope this helps.

 

[Martina]

Does that help? WOW, does it ever!!! That's the most information I've ever seen about the different shoe types! Thank you tons!! I've got it all printed out now, for future reference.
I LOVE the alligator ones too! Since I'm in Syracuse, where the NETTLETONS were made, I come across them ALL the time! I've given my father a number of pairs and he said they are super comfy.

Now if we can only figure out how to date them. I am thinking that a big clue may be in the soles. You know the older ones are like lead weights! AND the older ones seem to have more overall total sole, if that makes sense. They also have that ridge that sticks out, right before the sole starts, that runs around the entire shoe.
I am thinking also, that an entire rubber sole would be newer than the leather sole with rubber heel combination (or whatever material it is), like on the green and brown 'spectators'.

AND I bet the shape of the toe has something to do with the date!
Ahh well, I'm sure we'll both be educated soon by some of our more knowledgeable members (althouth you certainly seem to know quite a bit yourself!).

Thanks for the info!!

 

[Feraud]

There are some nice shoes in there.
Are any going to be offered in the Classifieds section?

 

[Martina]

I think that I will offer them there... I have ALL of my Grandfather's shoes as well as a couple of others that came from my 84 year old neighbor's husband! They're all packed up... I just need to pull them out and gather them all together. Some of them are really neat! I'd like to see the shoes go to people that will enjoy them, so I think this the place for that.

~Martina~