# Another old American made shoe



## firedancer (Jan 11, 2011)

Boyd's was the haberdasher in downtown St. Louis for years. They had their own line of shoes called " threadneedle streets". Everyone in St Louis wore them and they were made right on Washington avenue by the now defunct international shoe company. 

I can see how men might have been more fit back then. As each shoe weighs about 4lbs. 

Just thought I'd share.


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## hookem12387 (Dec 29, 2009)

As a law student, I'd love to get a hold of some shoes from International Shoe. Would be quite cool


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## Bandit44 (Oct 1, 2010)

Interesting. My father's first job out of high school was working for International Shoe. He only did it for about a year before he decided that factory work wasn't his calling.


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## maximar (Jan 11, 2010)

4lbs! I though Alden shoes are heavy. 

Firedancer, 
Are those your shoes? The saddles are nice.


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## Titus_A (Jun 23, 2010)

hookem12387 said:


> As a law student, I'd love to get a hold of some shoes from International Shoe. Would be quite cool


Go buy a pair of Florsheim's: it's the same company. But having one that said "International Shoe" would be neat.


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## firedancer (Jan 11, 2011)

Titus_A said:


> Go buy a pair of Florsheim's: it's the same company. But having one that said "International Shoe" would be neat.


Really, Same Company? I find it difficult to get any solid info on them, other than Washington vs. ISC.

4 pounds is an exaggeration but they are the heaviest I've ever seen. Aldens and Hanovers and Florsheims included.

They are mine. I have both brown and black bluchers that are too big and the 2 shortwings. They had longwings as well that I'm keeping my out for. I have never worn any of them but plan on getting one of the shortwings dyed green like the Trickers.


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## Titus_A (Jun 23, 2010)

firedancer said:


> Really, Same Company? I find it difficult to get any solid info on them, other than Washington vs. ISC.


Actually, I see that may not be correct anymore, since Florsheim's assets were liquidated and the brand purchased by yet another company. But generally speaking, yes: International Shoe purchased Florsheim in 1952 and apparently owned it for years. I'm not sure whether it still owned the brand when it was sold recently or not. (For more about the history of Florsheim than you ever wanted to know, here's a speech on the subject from 2004.)


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## Annapolitan (Jun 24, 2011)

hookem12387 said:


> As a law student, I'd love to get a hold of some shoes from International Shoe. Would be quite cool


Cool indeed. . . . minimum contacts . . .. law school flashbacks . . . holding still in limelight now as much as ever what with internet commerce.

My Dad grew up in St. Louis in the '30s and '40s and as recently as a couple of years ago still had a pair of the pebble grains in the second picture above but in a lighter shade of brown. God how I admired that shoe as a little kid - I used to sit in his closet and buff it (uh, the shoe) with a shoe cloth. I have the later ('80s) Florsheim similar imperial model. It's not my Dad's shoe though. I'd go get it but it's not my size.


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## hookem12387 (Dec 29, 2009)

Titus_A said:


> Go buy a pair of Florsheim's: it's the same company. But having one that said "International Shoe" would be neat.


 1) I didn't know that. 2) Ya, it would be pretty cool to have one with the actual "International Shoe" on it.


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## phyrpowr (Aug 30, 2009)

You won't have to resole those bad boys very often, but when you do the tariff is going to be _fierce!_


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## hybriid83 (Aug 11, 2011)

just inherited a pair of threadneedle Street Boyd's wingtip dress shoes in black.....and the best part never worn!!!! now only if i could figure out how to insert pictures of them....


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## firedancer (Jan 11, 2011)

Welcome to the forum hybriide. I know where Dixon is. Grew up on FLW for a while. 

There is a detailed explanation of how to add attachments at the top of each forum page. Also, if you use a mobile device tapatalk is supported.


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## hybriid83 (Aug 11, 2011)

hopefully this works the need to be cleaned but here they are...


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## hybriid83 (Aug 11, 2011)

they have only been worn once by me and that was to try them on. They are still as stiff as a board and desperately need to be broken in...i was made fun of for wearing my last pair of wingtips(which were Doc Martens...). These shoes to my knowledge are more than twice my age since i am only 27. Just goes to show you how much better things were made then. Have been thinking about wearing them with my BB Golden Fleece Saxxon Micro Plaid Madison Fit Suit.

https://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCa...COAL&sort_by=&sectioncolor=&sectionsize=#null

any thoughts


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## SirFulkeGreville (Aug 23, 2010)

Perhaps the Florsheim shoe has improved. I confess I bought a pair in the early 19990s, and they recently came unglued. Startled and Disgusted with that and the awfully cheap plastic shank, I decided upon a pair of Alden's. I know they will last.


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## petro (Apr 5, 2005)

firedancer said:


> Boyd's was the haberdasher in downtown St. Louis for years. They had their own line of shoes called " threadneedle streets". Everyone in St Louis wore them and they were made right on Washington avenue by the now defunct international shoe company.
> I can see how men might have been more fit back then. As each shoe weighs about 4lbs.
> Just thought I'd share.


My father had 2 (that I remember) pair of these. He had the same cobbler resole them for (he claimed) 30 years (after he moved out of STL he would take a pair up every so often to get the soles renewed).

He also had the same barber for the entire time our lives overlapped.


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