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#1 2018-02-02 06:16:55

Yuca
Member
Posts: 8543

The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

I don't normally appreciate inferior copies, and I've never actually owned a pair of vintage gunboats made by anyone other than Florsheim, however it seems obvious from photos and all accounts that those shoemakers back in the day that followed Florsheim's lead were also able to produce amazing gunboats.

Just for fun, let's create a list of the brands. Photos also welcome.

Hanover
Walkover
Nettleton
Barrie

Obvs some/all of these brands had life outside gunboats (particularly Barrie), but I think it's fair to say that their gunboats were based on the original Florsheim design classic.


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#2 2018-02-02 06:19:33

Yuca
Member
Posts: 8543

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

That's not supposed to be a complete list incidentally, but the start of a list.


some sort of banal legitimacy

 

#3 2018-02-02 06:22:27

Yuca
Member
Posts: 8543

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

I suppose Allen Edmonds has been around long enough to qualify.


some sort of banal legitimacy

 

#4 2018-02-02 06:23:42

Yuca
Member
Posts: 8543

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Likewise Alden.


some sort of banal legitimacy

 

#5 2018-02-02 07:48:25

alkydrinker
Member
Posts: 77

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

ET Wright
Bostonian
British Walker (made in USA despite name)
Nunn Bush
French Shriner
Dexter
Sears
Gold Bond (I bought a pair with this branding that are *very* nice, seller claimed it was sold through Sears and was a re-branded Nettleton-made shoe, but I can't confirm that info anywhere on the web)
American Gentleman (seen only one example of PTB gunboats, probably a re-brand?)


I like this thread, as I find it very fun and interesting looking through the obscure vintage gunboats on eBay and Etsy. Occasionally there will a re-branded shoe for a specific men's store.

With the lesser brands, it is always a risk that the shape will be slightly off from the perfection achieved in the Florsheim design, or the leather quality will be bad. Sometimes online pictures make these factors apparent, but sometimes not.

Last edited by alkydrinker (2018-02-02 08:42:37)

 

#6 2018-02-02 08:48:49

Sid Ford
Member
Posts: 636

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

 

#7 2018-02-02 09:15:49

woofboxer
Devil's Ivy Advocate
From: The Lost County of Middlesex
Posts: 7959

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Keith Highlander


'I'm not that keen on the Average Look .......ever'. 
John Simons

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#8 2018-02-03 08:10:50

Yuca
Member
Posts: 8543

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Now we have the names: any further comments on quality? As I understand it they're all pretty much superb - not always as good as Florsheim but definitely better than the vast majority of today's footwear. Correct?

My AE ptbs that I bought new a few years ago don't even deserve to be on the same shoe rack as my Florsheim royal ptbs. (Although they are - I only own one shoe rack.)


some sort of banal legitimacy

 

#9 2018-02-03 10:09:57

woofboxer
Devil's Ivy Advocate
From: The Lost County of Middlesex
Posts: 7959

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Stuart McGuire


'I'm not that keen on the Average Look .......ever'. 
John Simons

Achievements: banned from the Ivy Style FB Group

 

#10 2018-02-03 12:50:53

Yuca
Member
Posts: 8543

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Do you only wear gunboats with Scottish names Woof?


some sort of banal legitimacy

 

#11 2018-02-03 14:38:31

woofboxer
Devil's Ivy Advocate
From: The Lost County of Middlesex
Posts: 7959

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators


'I'm not that keen on the Average Look .......ever'. 
John Simons

Achievements: banned from the Ivy Style FB Group

 

#12 2018-02-04 01:05:37

Armchaired
Ivy I.V.
From: Old England
Posts: 7580

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators


�Careful with that axe Eugene.�

 

#13 2018-02-04 04:29:40

Yuca
Member
Posts: 8543

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Definitely. Seller's photos? You'd think they'd have the gumption to give them a decent polish.


some sort of banal legitimacy

 

#14 2018-02-04 05:47:33

woofboxer
Devil's Ivy Advocate
From: The Lost County of Middlesex
Posts: 7959

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators


'I'm not that keen on the Average Look .......ever'. 
John Simons

Achievements: banned from the Ivy Style FB Group

 

#15 2018-02-04 05:56:53

Patrick
Member
Posts: 2646

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

I had a pair of Staffords I bought at JCP in 2004. They were okay but I ended up selling them. They were made in India and identical to the Florsheim longwing of the same time.


Otter : Take it easy, I'm pre-law.
Boon : I thought you were pre-med.
Otter : What's the difference?

 

#16 2018-02-04 08:13:05

Yuca
Member
Posts: 8543

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Last edited by Yuca (2018-02-04 08:14:23)


some sort of banal legitimacy

 

#17 2018-02-05 11:25:27

alkydrinker
Member
Posts: 77

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Last edited by alkydrinker (2018-02-05 12:54:44)

 

#18 2018-02-05 13:33:43

Yuca
Member
Posts: 8543

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Interesting. So other than Nettleton, which were the quality Florsheim imitators?

As stated earlier, I find today's AE to be passable but vastly inferior to old school Florsheim, so worse than AE is definitely to be avoided.


some sort of banal legitimacy

 

#19 2018-02-06 08:58:01

LeeLo
Member
Posts: 373

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

 

#20 2018-02-06 11:16:47

Worried Man
Member
From: Davebrubeckistan
Posts: 15988

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

I have owned or do own Nettleton, Hanover, British Walker, and Dexter and while maybe not on par with the Florsheim Imperials, they are all high quality in my opinion.  As good if not better than current Allen Edmonds stuff.  If you can find a very lightly used or NOS pair then it is money well spent.


"We close our sto' at a reasonable hour because we figure anybody who would want one of our suits has got time to stroll over here in the daytime." - VP of George Muse Clothing, Atlanta, 1955

 

#21 2018-02-07 16:25:44

Acton_Baby
Member
From: West London
Posts: 3848

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators


"I have about 100 pairs of pyjamas. I like to see people dressed comfortably."
Hugh Hefner

 

#22 2018-02-12 07:49:50

Sid Ford
Member
Posts: 636

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Speaking of Nettletons...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NETTLETON-TRADITIONALS-Black-Solid-Leather-Wingtip-Dress-Shoes-Size-9-B4051/192387483815?hash=item2ccb3008a7:g:HgkAAOSwbihaJr8g

 

#23 2018-02-12 21:19:10

stanshall
Member
From: Gilligan's Island
Posts: 12991

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Roblee


"bow wow wow yippie yo yippie yay"

 

#24 2018-02-14 12:25:56

Yuca
Member
Posts: 8543

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators


some sort of banal legitimacy

 

#25 2022-02-23 12:55:33

AFS
Member
Posts: 2740

Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators

Hanover.  A pair on sale on Ebay.  They look rather nice.

 

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