Edward Green
for
Wildsmith
No.41 Duke Street, St. James, London
Full Wing-Tip Brogue Slip-On

The Wildsmith family is said to have been in the shoe trade for 7 generations. The firm, last located in their premises at No 13 in the elegant Princess Arcade off Jermyn Street, the hotbed of bespoke shirt and shoemakers, is no more. The long-time Wildsmith shop is now occupied by another shoemaker, Sanders. The remaining Mr. Wildsmith, I am informed, now only travels with the Hilditch & Key (shirt makers) trunk show. The shoe shown here is of an even earlier vintage, dating from the Wildsmith’s traditional Duke Street location.

Wildsmith was long well know as a bespoke shoemaker, and like other inner-city firms even today -John Lobb is a good example- measured the client, settled with him on the design and materials but farmed the actual work out to small “cottage” workrooms elsewhere in England. It is interesting to speculate what the difference of fit and finish would be between two pairs of shoes ordered from the same firm but executed by two different workshops.

In more recent years Wildsmith marketed ready to wear shoes made for them by, first, Edward Green, as in this shoe, and, more recently, by Crockett and Jones.

The quality of Edward Green’s modelling and workmanship are beautifully represented here, and the choice of leather and colour are incomparable. This is a very lovely shoe; very handsome under trousers.

Size Details:

Shoe Condition:

Superb original condition, very lightly worn. Original Dove-Tailed McAfee combination heel with hand-set nails. Sold without trees but ask after a custom fitted pair.