Show us your SHOES !!!

[Fifty150]

These shoes are just very comfortable. I just don't like the price tag.

 

[Turnip]

Similar here, got these in a sale, fortunately,

 

[rogueclimber]

A little work done on my Iron Rangers

 

[Jabarov]

Like it

 

[The Shooman]

I notice how shoe wearing here has gotten much more casual over the years. I've always done dress shoes with stitched on leather soles. This is as casual as l get.


My new ones, bentivegna constructed shoes by Silvano Lattanzi. The bentivegna is very rare and done by very few makers and they are considered the rolls royce of shoes. I feel lucky to own such a pair, especially since it was made by Lattanzi. You know you have reached the top of Mount Everest in the shoe world when you own such a pair, this is a shoe done at the highest level.

So why the uneven quills on each vamp? This is a rare top grade ostrich skin that is vegetable tanned, and the bird is probably under 1 year old, making it the best on the market with a cost to match. There wouldn't be much of this type of leather quality around, so it is valuable. Quills vary on the skin so it is probably the best the clicker could do with the one skin. He could have used two skins, but the price would be even higher. The skin is completely flawless.

Notice how the stitching of the sole disappears with only a 180 degree welt. Bentivegna has always been a mystery, no-one really knows how the back half of the sole is attached. It is not glued or wood ****ed, but it is done in a special way. I understand Lattanzi brought back the bentivegna construction method from last mid century, and is apparently considered the master, so when a man gets one of these rare jewels he is truly very fortunate.

The model is a real Lattanzi classic. The highly exclusive buried shoes below use this model for many of the ostrich pairs.

 

[The Shooman]

Another angle. See the bentivegna construction and the hand stitch apron.

 

[GHT]

Impressive shoes indeed. On a thread about overpriced leather jackets, Loungers were commenting about the five to six grand price. Out of curiosity I looked up expensive hides and found that the ostrich hide cost was in the stratosphere. A jacket in ostrich hide, you need a lottery win to buy.

Your comment: "I notice how shoe wearing here has gotten much more casual over the years. I've always done dress shoes with stitched on leather soles. This is as casual as l get." I do so empathise with. My shoes are all made by a highly skilled cordwainer, so few left these days.

 

[The Shooman]

Impressive shoes indeed. On a thread about overpriced leather jackets, Loungers were commenting about the five to six grand price. Out of curiosity I looked up expensive hides and found that the ostrich hide cost was in the stratosphere. A jacket in ostrich hide, you need a lottery win to buy.

I remember a Hermes crocodile leather jacket being listed for sale and it was hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I won't mention the prices Lattanzi charges for exotics because it is embarrassing and frightening, and even more for the buried ostrich above because they shoes get buried for years, dug up and then need to be remade allover again. The price of those dirty old ostrich buried shoes can be the price a decent brand new car or even the price of a house in some locations. Some of his alligator boots run 6 figures.

See my shoe above....it is a work of art because it is actually a wholecut. The vamp, the lake area, the toe and the quarters are all one piece of leather. It is not a split toe. The only part added is the very top quarter part around the lacing and side of the shoe. SO....getting such a large piece of ostrich to pattern match on each shoe with such rare high end leather is going to be almost impossible. This shoe is Lattanzi's masterpiece...a flagship model, as good as it gets, and only the most dedicated connoisseurs will appreciate that Lattanzi does something no-one else does. His leather soles are also unusual because they are soaked in oak pits for 2 years instead of the usual 9 months by other exclusive tanneries.

Your comment: "I notice how shoe wearing here has gotten much more casual over the years. I've always done dress shoes with stitched on leather soles. This is as casual as l get." I do so empathise with. My shoes are all made by a highly skilled cordwainer, so few left these days.

The old guard like us never compromise. We set the standards and make our own rules.

 

[The Shooman]

Impressive shoes indeed. On a thread about overpriced leather jackets, Loungers were commenting about the five to six grand price.

How about these coats currently for sale on ebay. Some coats go for much higher than these too.

Your comment: "I notice how shoe wearing here has gotten much more casual over the years. I've always done dress shoes with stitched on leather soles. This is as casual as l get." I do so empathise with. My shoes are all made by a highly skilled cordwainer, so few left these days.

Your shoemaker does clean work. Great closing and patterns from what l can see. Comes with years of experience.

 

[Fifty150]

I recently downsized by selling off a few things on eBay. Interesting that there were international buyers. People across the world were willing to buy used shoes from The USA. This means that they paid more for shipping, than what I charged for the shoes. And, they had to pay duties, tariffs, etc.​

 

[GHT]

How about these coats currently for sale on ebay. Some coats go for much higher than these too.
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Your shoemaker does clean work. Great closing and patterns from what l can see. Comes with years of experience.

Three hundred & sixty grand! Seriously? And they are not new, pre-owned the advert states. I checked out the price of pre-owned crocodile skin shoes, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/35744954...wCyaPYzFRUcSJa9h9cDguzBNOd|tkp:Bk9SR46TuJLFZg about a grand, only three hundred and fifty-nine to go.

 

[The Shooman]

I recently downsized by selling off a few things on eBay. Interesting that there were international buyers. People across the world were willing to buy used shoes from The USA. This means that they paid more for shipping, than what I charged for the shoes. And, they had to pay duties, tariffs, etc.​

Yes. If l buy a vintage shoe tree from ebay that costs $5.00 in America, l am still paying over $100.00 in Australia after taxes, fees, etc.

 

[The Shooman]

Three hundred & sixty grand! Seriously? And they are not new, pre-owned the advert states. I checked out the price of pre-owned crocodile skin shoes, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/357449541479?_skw=crocodile+shoes++pre++owned&itmmeta=01K8MJE15P7SG5BHSG4ZNDG2A2&hash=item5339a72767:g:mPgAAeSwwT9om0Cx&itmprp=enc:AQAKAAAA4FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1dyZFu5eubrdpUn52cIjEQmUARtYmvftHGvsdNYB61C4ELxahE3Mvlmtu/30o5s4l0MHBMlmPOnhRMkOK8B1cj9rG4go2lN6G837jkVGtNeliv0v900oRP4bVbsq+jRO6AJhpuPaGLKuw67LpC4VZQe0QsJ91IafygsfFXkOvalMfuV+uYqrkAYHd4BotG75aFqzOSpXHP/jVR03CrIlOsvBLTkapTpTxBWxEyNukHIo4743k7UQSVv8ile0kwCyaPYzFRUcSJa9h9cDguzBNOd|tkp:Bk9SR46TuJLFZg about a grand, only three hundred and fifty-nine to go.

Of course we still have these second hand boots by Lattanzi listed for a fortune. No buyers as yet after many years.

 

[Fifty150]

Yes. If l buy a vintage shoe tree from ebay that costs $5.00 in America, l am still paying over $100.00 in Australia after taxes, fees, etc.

The winner is eBay. They charge the seller a fee, based on the total sale. The seller has to pay a percentage of everything, including the shipping cost, etc. I have lost money, and owed money to eBay, after the sale. The eBay fees were more than I sold the item for. Not to mention that they make their real money by holding your money "in float". From the time that a buyer pays, to the time that a seller gets paid, that money is in float.​

 

[The Shooman]

The winner is eBay. They charge the seller a fee, based on the total sale. The seller has to pay a percentage of everything, including the shipping cost, etc. I have lost money, and owed money to eBay, after the sale. The eBay fees were more than I sold the item for. Not to mention that they make their real money by holding your money "in float". From the time that a buyer pays, to the time that a seller gets paid, that money is in float.​

Thanks for sharing this. I plan to sell on ebay soon. Need to trim my shoe collection.

 

[The Shooman]

Here is my other pair of Lattanzi ostrich shoes. A terrible photo, but this will have to do for now. These are even better than my tan ones...why?....the hand stitching of the soles is much smaller and nicer. This shoe is also a wholecut derby in bentivegna construction, a flagship model that is as Lattanzi as it gets because of these two reasons, he is famous for things like this. Ostrich softens up really nicely, and with the hand construction these should feel like slippers after a while.

Will take a group photo and my Bentivegna's soon. Got a final pair of calfskin bentivegna coming soon.

 

[Fifty150]

I plan to sell on ebay soon.

If you open a store, you have overhead and expenses. eBay seller fees are like paying rent, utilities, etc. That is why you sometimes see items listed at a ridiculous price. The seller is already anticipating how much eBay will take from the sale.

eBay is a known platform. It's mostly safe. You reach a global market. And the shipping is very easy because you can pay for postage and the shipping label on eBay.



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[ShadowXY]

Don't wear shoes. It's running shoes or boots.
I have about 2 dozen pairs of boots but I lost count. Just a sample Lucchese & Stewart.

 

[Fifty150]

I plan to sell on ebay soon.

Be ready for a tax form with your gross sales. You will itemize your expenses, and declare that each item sold was a household item sold at a lower price than you paid. A lot of cross-eyed bookkeeping, and swearing from your accountant, who will charge you more to handle the paperwork. Every piece of tape, shipping envelope, cardboard box, styrofoam peanut, and mileage to the Post Office is deductible. You may have bought a digital camera to take the photos for eBay sales. You could have used your home as a home office, warehouse, and shipping center. A lot of effort, for making almost nothing. You're losing money, because you paid full price for the product, then sold it at a lower price.


Here is what selling on eBay looks like.​

 

[The Shooman]

I also picked up a slightly used pair of Lattanzi bentivegna shoes.

Comments on the leather quality
The calf looks like the legendary old Pebody leather ,ie, the really elite old vintage leather that is in a league of its own. The leather is incredible, and even the leather from Hermes owned John Lobb doesn't compare. Why? The grain is tight, but more importantly the pores are shallow and of even depth, so the leather looks amazing (like art) and takes a prize winning shine. You don't see leather like this on shoes anymore. The leather would have had to be sourced from the Swiss Alps or somewhere cold at high altitudes for it to be like this. Lattanzi bought the entire stock of Pebody leather when the tannery closed down in 1991. Aside from that, he also uses leather soles from the finest tannery in the world which soaks them in oak pits for 2 years instead of the usual 9months with elite tanneries, so the soles and heels are in a league of their own and few shoemakers have access to this extra small family owned tannery. The lining is also as good as the outside of the shoe, and this is extremely rare in good shoes,especially this type of quality, AND the insole filling also takes the extra step of avoiding cork and being filled with rare exclusive quality calf so you get a really nice fresh wearing shoe that feels like nothing else. This shoe is really contains the best of everything, and when combined with the mighty Bentivegna you are getting something that is unsurpassed in the shoe world today. These types of shoes are very rare and extremely lofty, in the shoe world there is no higher to climb or to aspire to. Yes there are other makers, but they don't do what Lattanzi does.

The soles are hand sewn as is the apron and inseaming. It makes a world of difference when made this way.

A family shot of Lattanzi bentivega boys will be coming soon. It will be a rare photo of these lads in the flesh, so get ready for the glorious moment when they make the appearance.