Crockett & Jones
for
Tom James
Sailcloth/Calfskin Norwegian Spectator
Euro 380

The actual colour of the Sailcloth vamp (Rist) is light brown, a lovely contrast to the Tan calfskin body of the shoe.

The history of the two-tone derives from the late 1800s, when gentleman wore protective spats or gaiters over their shoes. The theory is that the look of light coloured spats against dark coloured shoes became incorporated into the shoe itself. The Prince of Wales, perhaps the greatest trendsetter of men’s styles of the Twentieth Century, wore spectators while golfing. The privileged classes on both sides of the Atlantic quickly took up this innovation. Fred Astaire, another great and famous fashion plate added glamour to the Spectator in a series of films, and no sub-culture was more a clientele of the Spectator than the dandified and, literally, well-heeled gangster culture of the ’30s. Whatever the vectors of its dissemination, the Spectator enjoyed wide popularity in the 1920’s and 1930’s, with only dwindled in the 1950’s.

This line of shoes was made especially for the San Francisco bespoke tailor and shirtmaker,Tom James,.between the years 2005 and 2011.

Size Details:

Shoe Condition:

Excellent; light wear to original soles, combination heels excellent.