Vintage Spade Sole Shoes

[AlanC]

What happened to those shoes Allan?

I was putting them on and the shoe horn (vintage, made of real horn) slipped and sliced through the leather of the shoe. It was a freak happening, and I was shocked the leather gave way like that. I figured it must have been the result of dry rot.

Alas.

 

[The Shooman]

I was putting them on and the shoe horn (vintage, made of real horn) slipped and sliced through the leather of the shoe. It was a freak happening, and I was shocked the leather gave way like that. I figured it must have been the result of dry rot.

Alas.

That's happened twice with you now. First the nettletons and now these.

 

[cookie]

I was putting them on and the shoe horn (vintage, made of real horn) slipped and sliced through the leather of the shoe. It was a freak happening, and I was shocked the leather gave way like that. I figured it must have been the result of dry rot.

Alas.

Sew them up/invisbly(?) mend them and lashings of Pecards might do....alas not always...then of course use as template for new ones.

 

[cookie]

Just in case The Shooman doesn't believe in my feet, here's another view of them (in 1940s spade soles, also by Thom McAn):

If you still have those roo shoes I sold you can you post a pic now that you have come up for air?

Cheers

Cookie

 

[AlanC]

That's happened twice with you now. First the nettletons and now these.

Only once. Those are the Nettletons it happened to.

 

[cookie]

Some nice 30s spectator spades

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320580429190&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[cookie]

Some "new spades" awaiting the renovation special....



The original black version:

 

[davestlouis]

Gorgeous, love the huge perforations and pinking!

 

[cookie]

Today's find/buy:not my size unfortunately - probably near NOS quality

1940s Regal Half/Paddock Boot in Burgundy

 

[univibe88]

Quite timely. Dress boots are very in style all of the sudden. There's a whole spread about them in this months GQ.

 

[cookie]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320580429190&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[Cane Rod Maker]

Now they are quite interesting; I could see myself in a hightop spade like that.

Today's find/buy:not my size unfortunately - probably near NOS quality

1940s Regal Half/Paddock Boot in Burgundy

 

[Cane Rod Maker]

Boots

I recently got 2 pair of Chippewa Boots, a lace up "packer style" one is a 2 tone boot [29405] and the other is Bison [29553], solid deep brown. These boots work for me with most all business casual dress. A great boot for the money; beautiful heels and soles; great craftsmanship, made in the USA.

http://www.chippewaboots.com/category/arroyos_packer

http://www.chippewaboots.com/category/AMERICAN_BISON

Quite timely. Dress boots are very in style all of the sudden. There's a whole spread about them in this months GQ.

 

[cookie]

J&M Handmades spades

The greatest shoe ever made in America is the Johnston and Murphy handmade spade sole. Made in the old TN factory but RIP to such magnificence. I have a pair of later ones but a guy on styleforum who sold me mine has a NOS pair in 13D. I am posting them so that any big foot individual who aspires to them could have a chance to buy them. I have no financial affiliation with this guy other than as I described.
http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?p=3763307#post3763307

 

[cookie]

My renovation project using techniques learnt from personal experience and from posters on FL and SF is complete.

http://img560.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=img7852.jpg

If you follow the above hyperlink you will see the different phases of the renovation.

The shoes date to the 1940s and are a Thom McCann spade sole shoe as can be seen from the underneath shots. The size is USA8.5D. Marc Chevalier has posted an undamaged pair earlier in this thread.

If you were 60-70 years old I suspect you would show some wear and tear!

The actual colour is similar/the same as the monitor colour - a beautiful red undertoned russet. The leather is such good quality that it is naturally shiney resembling modern corrected grain.

The process was as follows:

1. Methylated spirits to clean/deglaze also some preparer aka deglazer for some of the hard bits.
2. Re-attachment of loose pieces with super glue
3. Firming down the re-attached flapping bits with the edge of a wooden shoe brush.
4. Recolouring discloured spots with Tuxan renovation polish in a cherry red/burgundy colour.
5. Pecards treatment to remoisturise the leather that had been deglazed.
6. Spit polishing the leather to restore shine.
7. Further Pecards treatment.
8. Further spit polishing to fill gouged holes and apply high shine.
9. Removal of stretching shoe trees.
10.New vintage type laces.

Please note that some of the darkness in the rougher toecap is trapped moisture from the spit shine that is gradually drying out and returning to a near normal colour. Other historic damage will become patina. The holes will gradually fill over with polishing.

 

[cookie]

Well, it's one for the money,
Two for the show,
Three to get ready,
Now go, cat, go.

But don't you step on my blue suede shoes.
You can do anything but lay off of my Blue suede shoes.

Well, you can knock me down,
Step in my face,
Slander my name
All over the place.

Do anything that you want to do, but uh-uh,
Honey, lay off of my shoes
Don't you step on my Blue suede shoes.
Well you can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes.

You can burn my house,
Steal my car,
Drink my liquor
From an old fruitjar.

Do anything that you want to do, but uh-uh,
Honey, lay off of my shoes
Don't you step on my blue suede shoes.
Well you can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes.

 

[Tomasso]

Nice, Cookie. I wonder if Elvis ever had a pair of spades.


BTW, your shoe project came out very well.

 

[Orgetorix]

'30s or '40s Florsheim spade-sole bals, probably shell cordovan: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Florshe...tage_Shoes&hash=item51963eae71#ht_1036wt_1138

 

[cookie]

I have never seen Florsheim spades before FWIW..

 

[rum runnah]

Sweet pair of shoes...