George Bryan “Beau” Brummell (7 June 1778–30 March 1840) What can we learn from the infamous 19th century dandy, Beau Brummell’s example, apart from not gambling yourself into debt, contracting… Read more
There is a pair of shoes on these pages this month that I have been reluctant to part with. They are a custom-order Florsheim Imperial in alligator, monk strap, circa… Read more
Some years ago (more likely, decades) I came across a book of photographic portraits, very traditional in style, of patrician gentlemen in their inner sancta, posed in the manner… Read more
Church’s is not the first great traditional brand to fall victim to takeovers, modern fashion, and marketers cannibalizing old names to produce ever diminishing quality. The saddest example that comes… Read more
“More Two-Tone Oxfords were sold this season than ever before“, announces the advertisement for a dapper pair of Spectators in the Sears Roebuck & Co. catalogue from the year 1928/29…. Read more
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” Old clients continue to report seeing pictures and texts from this website appearing in other places on the internet, notably in blogs and… Read more
There is a long-standing prejudice against rubber-soled shoes, the belief that any properly made shoe (read, Goodyear welted shoe) must necessarily have a leather sole. This belief is further reinforced… Read more
In response to frequent queries from old clients: “Good deals” on Ebay do exist but they are for the fellow who is prepared to spend ridiculous amounts of time plowing… Read more
Unlike a boulevard shoe store with a limited number of models but in every size, the website has hundreds of models, including some of the most obscure and wonderful examples… Read more
The Florsheims shown in these pages, both the Imperials and the others, are the products of the 100-plus year old firm, founded by a cobbler’s son, Milton Florsheim, in 1892… Read more
Ebay Deutschland and Ebay France do not distinguish between un-endangered species such as farmed alligator, lizard grown in captivity, or the plentiful African antelope, and the truly endangered species. These… Read more
As with so many things, once we are underway, the destination changes. In the time it takes to secure our goal, we have learned much about what we once desired,… Read more