Vintage Allen Edmonds
Special Order – Circa 1970
GenuineSharkskin
Full Wing-Tip Derby Brogue
SPECTATOR

Judging from the workmanship and treatment of the lining, this shoe most likely dates from the 1970’s. These marvelous Sharkskin Full Brogues are beautifully hand-lasted, Goodyear welted, entirely edge-bound. The skins are soft and pliable as new. Sharkskin is extremely durable, understandably water resistant and equally resistant to dyeing. The original colour of most of these skins is a reddish-brown undertone with a superficial second colour on the raised surfaces, typically another tone of brown. This pair with a light brown undertones and dark brown surface tones is very unusual and is almost surely the original un-dyed colour of the animal. Perhaps not one of a kind -Allen Edmonds surely made more than one pair of shoes from this skin- but at this late date, 30 years later, we will never see another one in this marvellous colour. Think of as a Tan shoe, but a very luxurious one, for your fair-weather wardrobe. This material, among the rarest from which shoes can be made, far more rare than any Alligator shoe, and in a 2-tone Spectator, this is a most rare object. The only one of kind that I have ever seen in this extravagant material.

The use of Sharkskin in the making of shoes, now no longer done for reasons of conservation, is a largely American phenomenon. The two major producers were Footjoy and Allen Edmonds. One does see quite some variation from one pair to the next in the selection of skins; these being a rather longer grain than used in the usual examples. The effect is sleek and very elegant.

I cannot sufficiently emphasize the rarity of such a shoe. This vintage pair of special order Brogues are nothing less than works of art, museum-pieces, destined for the passionate and knowledgeable collector. An indestructible and, not surprisingly, rather waterproof shoe. Only available today from a custom shoemaker, thus the replacement cost must be seen to be in the thousands.

Size Details:

Shoe Condition:

Excellent, superb, very light wear to original soles. Heel almost new.