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#1 2018-02-02 06:16:55
- Yuca
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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
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
That's not supposed to be a complete list incidentally, but the start of a list.
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#3 2018-02-02 06:22:27
- Yuca
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
I suppose Allen Edmonds has been around long enough to qualify.
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#4 2018-02-02 06:23:42
- Yuca
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
Likewise Alden.
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#5 2018-02-02 07:48:25
- alkydrinker
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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)
#7 2018-02-02 09:15:49
- woofboxer
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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
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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.)
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#9 2018-02-03 10:09:57
- woofboxer
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
Stuart McGuire
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John Simons
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#10 2018-02-03 12:50:53
- Yuca
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
Do you only wear gunboats with Scottish names Woof?
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#11 2018-02-03 14:38:31
- woofboxer
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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
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
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#13 2018-02-04 04:29:40
- Yuca
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
Definitely. Seller's photos? You'd think they'd have the gumption to give them a decent polish.
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#14 2018-02-04 05:47:33
- woofboxer
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- From: The Lost County of Middlesex
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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
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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.
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#16 2018-02-04 08:13:05
- Yuca
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
Last edited by Yuca (2018-02-04 08:14:23)
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#17 2018-02-05 11:25:27
- alkydrinker
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
Last edited by alkydrinker (2018-02-05 12:54:44)
#18 2018-02-05 13:33:43
- Yuca
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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.
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#20 2018-02-06 11:16:47
- Worried Man
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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.
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#21 2018-02-07 16:25:44
- Acton_Baby
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
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#22 2018-02-12 07:49:50
- Sid Ford
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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
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
Roblee
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#25 2022-02-23 12:55:33
- AFS
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Re: The great Florsheim gunboat imitators
Hanover. A pair on sale on Ebay. They look rather nice.