FOSTER & SON
(Formerly) 5 Eagle Place, St. James
Telephone +44 (0)207 930 5385
www.wsfoster.co.uk

Bespoke, Pre-War, Brogued Balmoral Boot
Circa 1930-40
Euro 1650

Foster & Son was founded in 1840 and is the London’s oldest bespoke shoemaker still in private hands. It now incorporates Henry Maxwell Ltd. founded in 1750, the oldest of the remaining bootmakers in London. Together these sister firms trade today at 83 Jermyn Street opposite Fortnums. Originally a famous spur-maker Maxwell thrived on the ubiquitous use of the horse for battle, ceremony, hunting, sport and personal transport, and soon supplied boots for cavalry regiments, hunting, polo etc. Bespoke shoes or boots, as shown here, can require as much as 100 hours of skilled labour to produce. They take measurements in their shop or by arrangement at your home or office in London. The cost; £1,870 for shoes, £3600 for boots and £250 for specially made wooden trees. Ref: http://foster.co.uk/ Delivery in 4 to 6 months.

This lovely classic pair of Balmoral Boors is labeled with the old pre-war Eagle Place workshop location, well before Foster’s moves to Duke of York Street and the current Jermyn Street locations. and indeed appears to have been built on the earlier last, thus before 1952, but the nail pattern of the heel, not to mention the much earlier style of the boot, suggest an even earlier vintage, more likely the 1930’s. Upon inquiry of Fosters, we learned that their customer records from the war years and earlier are incomplete but they did agree that the 1940s or earlier is its probable vintage. What ever its exact age this shoe is on the highest level of hand work in the old tradition – hand sewn channeled sole- and the overall effect of this classic model is supremely elegant, utilizing a surprisingly foot-flattering last with a perfectly contrasting 9-eyelet suede upper in a discreet, dark battleship gray. The single line of brogueing at the cap enlivens the otherwise streamlined impression and makes this a boot as suitable in town under a well cut suit as for evening formal wear. In short, we have here a collector’s item but eminently wearable.

As to provenance: we do know from accompanying footwear that this treasure was made for a Mr. Robert Gascoigne Webster, an English naval engineer who served with the Admiralty during WWII, rising to the rank of Commodore. He returned to civilian life and industry and is known for his technical advancements of main gun battery design in capital ships, until the advent of modern guided missile armament.

The boot takes it name from Queen Victoria’s Scottish estate Balmoral, where she and Prince Albert were know to favour this type of oxford-laced boot for walking the grounds and grouse moors but which they found as suitable for the interiors of the castle. It is quite likely that the Queen’s and Prince Albert’s boots were made by J.Sparkes-Hall, also known for having patented the earlier elastic-sided Chelsea boot, although neither of these is likely to have been his inventions.

The Balmoral boot is defined by its closed (or Oxford) lacing system and mid-calf height. The uppers are sewn to the “shoe” with a horizontal seam that runs from vamp to heel. Often, as in this case, the uppers will be of a different colour or leather from the lower section. Spats, it is said, are an attempt to mimic the contrasting materials of a two-tone Balmoral boot. What we do know is that, following the example of the royals, this type of boot was soon readily adopted by the privileged classes and worn as everyday wear up to and including frock and morning coats.

Size Details:

Shoe Condition:

Lightly worn, original condition with some trivial checking and scratches expected afte three quarters of a century. Sold without trees.

FOSTER & SON
(Formerly) 5 Eagle Place, St. James
Telephone +44 (0)207 930 5385
www.wsfoster.co.uk

Bespoke, Pre-War, Brogued Balmoral Boot
Circa 1930-40
Euro 1650

Foster & Son wurde im Jahre 1840 gegründet und ist der älteste noch verbliebenen Maas-Schuh-Hersteller in London. Mit seiner Schwester-Company “Henry Maxwell” ist er heute in der Jermyn Street 83– gegenüber Fortnums- zu finden.
Es kann vorkommen, dass “Foster” bis 100 Arbeitsstunden in die Herstellung von einem Paar Stiefel, oder einem Paar Schuhe investiert. Man lässt im Londoner Geschäft Mass nehmen oder man arrangiert Anproben, sei es bei Ihnen zu Hause oder in Ihrem London Büro. Die Kosten: £1,870 für Schuhe, £3600 für Stiefel und £250 für Holzspanner. Lieferzeit 4-6 Monate Ref:http://foster.co.uk/
Dieser wunderschöne Stiefel trägt das “St. James” Label und scheint tatsächlich auf einem der früheren Leisten gearbeitet worden zu sein. Das Nagel-Muster lässt sogar auf eine noch frühere Herkunft schliessen, eher wohl aus den 40ern. Was auch immer sein genaues Alter ist; dieser Schuh ist von bestechender Qualität in seiner, aus ältester Tradition stammenden, Handwerkskunst. Seine Erscheinung ist im besten Sinne klassisch, diskret und höchst elegant zu nennen.

Size Details:

Shoe Condition:

Orginal-Sohle und Absatz sehr leicht getragen.