These Boots Were Made for Working
Vintage boots are perfect complements to Rising Sun jeans made with period-correct needlework. One of Mike’s favorite boots is his 30s/40s horsehide, lace-to-toe Red Wing boots. It features the original Durkee-Atwood Dupont cork soles. The needle loomed Red Wing label is in a not-too-common dark navy color. Its red heel logo plugs have minimal wear as testament to its great condition. Even though he wears them sparingly we give him a hard time whenever we see him in these beauties. The stitches per inch are tight and the double needle work feature very subtle contrast colors with a difference so imperceptible that the word contrast is too heavy-handed. All in all this is an amazing boot that some would kill for. When Mike wore them to Berlin we began to wonder if he sometimes forgets he is in a modern time when these boots cannot be replaced. They just don’t make them like they used to.
Features a dark navy needle loomed label.
Notice the original soles with cork and Red Wing logo plug.
Solid boot construction made to outlast its owners.
The next pair of boots we would like to feature has no labeling. It was possibly made by Sears, Roebuck and Co. in the 50s. The original soles have been repaired as indicated by the Cat’s Paw sole. Cat’s Paw soles were so popular for resoling back in the day that a good number of vintage work boots have them. They are so prevalent that some modern companies “reproducing” vintage boots insist on having this detail despite the fact that the original boot likely did not have a Cat’s Paw branded sole.
Another historic shoe company is Chippewa. Its history dates back to 1901, which is slightly longer than Red Wing’s. This pair of 40s/50s vintage engineer boots are made of horsehide and have the original leather soles, steel toes, and label. The heel plugs show the company’s Chippewa Chief. “Original Chippewa” is still visible on the soles.
