Wing-Tip Suede Full Brogue Oxford
Made in England by
Peal & Co.
for
Lefcourt
400 Madison Ave, New York
Circa 1960

Lefcourt, the legendary family-operated Manhattan shoe store, was among the first to introduce a wide range of high quality imported men’s shoes to the United States. Apart from Church’s, Peal & Co., marketed by Brooks Brothers, Lloyd & Haig and the great McCreedy & Schreiber at 17 West 45th St., there were few English shoes to be had in America in the 1950s. Lefcourt played an important role by introducing Grenson and Crockett to America, and is also associated with the development of the modern loafer….as recounted below.

In 1948, the actor Paul Lukas, remembered for his role in Casablanca and other films of the period, brought a pair of favourite European tasseled oxfords to New York shoemakers Farkas & Kovacs to reproduce with some variations. The result was not entirely satisfactory so Lucas dropped one shoe off at Lefcourt and took the other of the pair to Morris in Beverly Hills, asking each for an improved version. Lefcourt never produced its own shoes and so took the request to Alden who, ironically, had also received the other sample from Morris! The result was a completely new design which became one of the most popular models in history, today’s ubiquitous loafer, a slip-on with top-side lacing and tassels.

The present shoe, Peal & Company’s finely made Wing-Tip Brogue Derby is on a level with today’s best bespoke shoes. When this shoe was provided to Lefcourt, Peal was in it last years of operation as a custom shoemaker; in 1965 it closed its doors and sold its name to Brooks Brothers in final capitulation to market forces, the end of a 174 year history. The few early and actual Peal & Co shoes to be found in the world today are truly on a bespoke level of workmanship with, not surprisingly, a quality of leather usually reserved for custom-made shoes. This shoe comes with my highest recommendation.

Size Details:

Shoe Condition:

Superb, all original and lightly worn.