Vintage Spectator Shoes

[cookie]

Cookie those are just perfect!! Is the white part suede? Mine look like suede. What would you recommend to clean the white with? Mine need a little TLC.

A light use of a suede rubber is good or a good clean suede brush.

 

[Dinerman]

Some interesting pairs for the archives-

 

[SteveAS]

I like these Bostonians. :eusa_clap

 

[Tomasso]

I like these Bostonians. :eusa_clap

Ditto!

 

[Mr Vim]

Those are a nice weave design.

Can we ask questions about spectators here? Here goes, what is folks' opinion of the modern Florsheim spectators? I've got a pair of their saddle oxfords that I like but if I'm buying a proper two tone spectator is there another brand of shoe I should be looking at instead?
Also I'm not considering vintage, I just cannot wear vintage shoes for some reason.

 

[flyfishark]

Here are some photos of NOS Edwin Clapp nylon vents. Great shape, but the heels are breaking from age. Trying to decide whether to have the heels repaired--if possible--or replaced. Any opinions? Also, they're slightly tight...have to decide whether to return them, sell them, or try to have them stretched a bit. How is nylon in the stretchable category??

 

[Isshinryu101]

Here are some photos of NOS Edwin Clapp nylon vents. Great shape, but the heels are breaking from age. Trying to decide whether to have the heels repaired--if possible--or replaced. Any opinions? Also, they're slightly tight...have to decide whether to return them, sell them, or try to have them stretched a bit. How is nylon in the stretchable category??

NICE! Congrats on the find! About the heel, there are plenty of vintage heels available on ebay, you'd probably do well to pick up some. I'm not so sure how to size vintage heels, though. The sizes seem to have a lot of 14-15's and 12-13's. Not sure if the sizing is standard like shoes. I've seen re-soles with strange sizes, too my 8 1/2D's took 11-12's.

BE CAREFUL with stretching. I'd be scared shitless to stretch vintage shoes. My cobbler told me that the best time to stretch shoes is when they're new. After time, they do dry out some (even with regular moisturizing & polishing), and older shoes can either show "stretch/ stress marks" or even crack.

Regardless, they are beautiful, friend!

 

[flyfishark]

NICE! Congrats on the find! About the heel, there are plenty of vintage heels available on ebay, you'd probably do well to pick up some. I'm not so sure how to size vintage heels, though. The sizes seem to have a lot of 14-15's and 12-13's. Not sure if the sizing is standard like shoes. I've seen re-soles with strange sizes, too my 8 1/2D's took 11-12's.

BE CAREFUL with stretching. I'd be scared shitless to stretch vintage shoes. My cobbler told me that the best time to stretch shoes is when they're new. After time, they do dry out some (even with regular moisturizing & polishing), and older shoes can either show "stretch/ stress marks" or even crack.

Regardless, they are beautiful, friend!

I can count on you to answer any esoteric question. I appreciate the response. It seems my seller signed on to the Bay to sell these and then disappeared. I think the $ was held though. Had the heel issue been disclosed, I would have understood--and bid accordingly! Other than that, the shoes are incredible. Enjoy your day.

 

[cookie]

NICE! Congrats on the find! About the heel, there are plenty of vintage heels available on ebay, you'd probably do well to pick up some. I'm not so sure how to size vintage heels, though. The sizes seem to have a lot of 14-15's and 12-13's. Not sure if the sizing is standard like shoes. I've seen re-soles with strange sizes, too my 8 1/2D's took 11-12's.



BE CAREFUL with stretching. I'd be scared shitless to stretch vintage shoes. My cobbler told me that the best time to stretch shoes is when they're new. After time, they do dry out some (even with regular moisturizing & polishing), and older shoes can either show "stretch/ stress marks" or even crack.

Regardless, they are beautiful, friend!

All that advice is sound. Especially with the nylon meshing that has not got the support of the missing leather quarters to allow for any robust stretching. The stretcher simply won't have enough leather to grip on where the nylon cuts into the instep. The heels have deteriorated as rubber does over time and lack of use. It loses its elasticity and just hardens and chips. Pity as Clapps usually hard their own name imprinted on the heels. Those shoes are called Ventilated Spectators BTW.

 

[Isshinryu101]

What I got in return for those vintage Alden for BB shells...

Edwin Clapp Ventilated Spectators, in Ostrich Skin & Mesh. Of course I needed SOME kind of exotic skin in order to buy them (even though the ostrich may well be pressed calf, I still love the look). New-Old-Stock, although the heels are disintegrating somewhat & will need to be replaced.

 

[Kkaderly]

Isshinryu .... beautiful shoes .... those are maybe the perfect spectator !!!!! Great Find!

 

[flyfishark]

This is my favorite pair of spectators. Old Bostonians. I just sold a pair like them, and wish now I'd kept them too.

 

[Isshinryu101]

This is my favorite pair of spectators. Old Bostonians. I just sold a pair like them, and wish now I'd kept them too.

Gotta love vintage gunboat spectators.
By the way, the shoes in this pic look like they need to "get a room"!

 

[cookie]

Gotta love vintage gunboat spectators.
By the way, the shoes in this pic look like they need to "get a room"!

Yeah... as in co-respondent?

 

[Isshinryu101]

Yeah... as in co-respondent?

Well, some people take the "shoe PORN" line quite literally. It's a "different" world out there!

 

[J.J. Gittes]

Never worn, never laced, & in the original box...Let the drooling commence!

 

[flyfishark]

Never worn, never laced, & in the original box...Let the drooling commence!

Damn, your shoes have holes in them! Being the magnanimous shoe collector I am, I'll trade you a spectator without holes--even up! If you're inclined to accept this, please stop reading here. If not, I'm drop-dead jealous! They are truly wonderful shoes, and I am drooling!

 

[flyfishark]

By the way, I agree with whoever said "this site has become really hot!" Personally speaking, I think this is rapidly becoming one of the best sites on FL. Please keep them coming!

 

[J.J. Gittes]

Damn, your shoes have holes in them! Being the magnanimous shoe collector I am, I'll trade you a spectator without holes--even up! If you're inclined to accept this, please stop reading here. If not, I'm drop-dead jealous! They are truly wonderful shoes, and I am drooling!

Eh, I can live with the holes, if anything they'll help with ventilation....
But thank you for the compliment!

 

[flyfishark]

Eh, I can live with the holes, if anything they'll help with ventilation....
But thank you for the compliment!

JJ...

If you can find a way to put the skin of an aardvark on them, Issh will pay a fortune!