Vintage cowboy boots info needed. How Old?

[poshgirlvintage]

Hi,

I want to put these boots up for sale but don't know anything about men's shoes.

Does anyone know where I can learn the date/age & aprox. price they are going for these days?

I tried ebay but there was only 1 pair that were from the 50's but they didn't look anyhting like these.

These are pretty short, meaning maybe 1/2 way up the shin or so. Not knee high.

Thanks so much,

Brigitte

 

[SGB]

Those are called Pee Wee's. Is there anything inside the boots, label, any printing? Usually there is a name on the pull straps. Size is also printed inside the tops, sometimes in code.

SGB

 

[reetpleat]

I am by no means an expert, but something abot the two colored swatches embossed onteh top tells me they are not fifties or sixties or older. I could be wrong. I would have to see them in person or at least see more pics. I have seene enough of the embossed or cut out style to have a feeling.

he problem with dating them is they are one of the articles that tend to be made the same year fater year. Definitely look american made though by one of the traditional companies.

Are there company markings on th inside, or bottom?

 

[poshgirlvintage]

embossed?

what exactly do you mean embossed?

I see a stamp inside: Rodeo Boot shop Mexico

It's faint and there is a code number "445f" but all info is faint and worn out but I think that is what it says.

I was wondering if they were reproduction boots. Anyone know how to tell?

thanx

 

[poshgirlvintage]

more photos

it just dawned on me that these are probably women's. They are 11" from back of boot to tip of toe. I just want to learn if they are reproductions or not. I just don't know enough to be sure.


Here are more pics:

 

[pablocham]

Definitely from the 50s. Those aren't embossed. They are inlay: you can tell from where the stitches are. Do an ebay search for "cutout boots" or "peewee boots" to find similar.

 

[reetpleat]

what exactly do you mean embossed?

I see a stamp inside: Rodeo Boot shop Mexico

It's faint and there is a code number "445f" but all info is faint and worn out but I think that is what it says.

I was wondering if they were reproduction boots. Anyone know how to tell?

thanx

By embossed, maybe not the right word" I mean the different colored pieces on th upper part.

If they wre made in Mexico, all bets are off. They would not be reproductions exactly, because in Mexico, they probably ahve been doing them the same way since way back in the day. So they might not be braind new, but not necesserily that old. the bottoms look quite vintage, but the different colored pieces seem a little newer, like maybe eighties on.

I would think they would still bring a good price on e-bay as they do not look modern.

 

[reetpleat]

Actually seeing them more closely, I would guess fifties to seventies. If they wre americna made, i would say fifties to sixties, but in Mexico they ight well have been made the same way to a later date.

having butterflies may indicate they are womens, but not necesserily.

If you try them on or find someone who cna and see how narrow they are, then you might hav a guess as to weather they are women's or men's or should be marketed to one or the other. Nice boots.

 

[Mark George]

PGV,
It's always hard to tell from photos, but as long as we're guessing, I'd say they are pretty old - 50's or 60's. The butterfly pattern has been around a long time, so that's possible. The toe shape is reminiscent of an old style, as is the height of the tops. The stitching looks like it was done by hand, and the lining looks old. The offset, inside cloth pulls are period correct. The inlays look to be the right shapes and colors. I can't tell if there are pegs in the soles, but if there are, and they look old and square, then that is more indication of the age. The heels look like old leather. The fact that they are Mexican will affect the resale value, but is not necessarily an indication of poor quality. There are now, and have always been, superb bootmakers in Mexico. A few miles one way or another, and you are in Mercedes, El Paso, or Nogales. Old boots from known makers bring the best prices from collectors. But, with that caveat, these appear to be collectible, and I would expect a reasonable response, somewhere in the neighborhood of (just guessing) $ 30.00 - $ 60.00. Maybe more. There was a pair of Olsen-Stelzer boots of similar vintage that sold last night for over $ 200.00. The eBay crowd will ask questions if they are not sure.

Repro boots tend to have vintage styling, but are built with new and inferior techniques like plastic heels, man-made lining (and uppers), cardboard insoles, overlay v. inlay, machined stitching, nails instead of pegs, etc. That said, and as with vintage guitars, there are some very talented people out there who can fake vintage goods so well that it frequently fools the experts. That is why I am only guessing. If you have time, I suggest you post these photos and questions on the bulletin board at Jennifer June's website www.dimlights.com. There are a ton of knowledgeable people that frequent her website, and will, no doubt, offer their thoughts.

Good luck,

Mark

 

[poshgirlvintage]

Thank you for the advice. Really from everyone. It's been a big help.

I have a website so I won't sell on Ebay. Ebay is like giving stuff away. The prices are ridiculously low.

After lots of research and an answer from a collector & seller " James Davis aka Man In The Crowd" I have determined they are mid to late 50's. Here is what he said:

Very fine boots, probably from the late 50s. I call them "border boots" a term used to loosely define cowboy boots made by bespoke boot makers (usually Mexican) in the Rio Grande valley. The Rodeo Boot Shop doesn't ring any bells in my memory, but there were many, many bespoke shops in towns on both sides of the border.

These boots remind me of a style made by the late Frank Leddy. It's possible the boot maker worked for Mr. Leddy at some point in time. They're probably men's boots. Their value is a tough call... $300 to $1000 retail would be my best guesstimate, a whole lot depends on condition and the market.

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

Really vintage

Mark George is correct. Especially in the El Paso / Juarez area there are a lot of boot factories.

There is a great book by David Stoecklein "The Cowboy Boot"with 16 pages devoted to Pee-Wees. Pee Wee boots were produced in the 40's and 50's. I wore my Mom's pee-wees as a toddler. You might be able to find the book at a local book store, or you can find it at:

www.thestoeckleincollection.com

You might try an e-mail to Larry Jennings or Lynne Miller at Cowboy Legends, a vintage boot shop in Santa Fe, NM. They move a lot of vintage boots.

www.cowboylegends.net

 

[K.D. Lightner]

In recent years I have had some "retro" boots made for me from Champion boots and also Longhorn Boots, both were sellers on eBay at the time.

Longhorn was in El Paso, but their factory was across the border, in Juarez, I believe. I have a black and white retro book and one called "Tribute" which is made in the tradition of a double-eagle Roy Rogers boot that I got off eBay but was originally a Champion boot. The Sanchez family there has been making cowboy boots for several generations.

There are also boots made in Mexico by Mexican bootmakers. I found out early on that their sizing can be different from ours. A men's 8 should have fit me and it didn't, it was smaller than even a woman's 8, because I gave them away to a woman with size 7 1/2.

karol