# Jodphur Boots - Finished after 4 months



## Zingari (Jul 9, 2007)

Mr Batten et al finally finished my bespoke strap jodphur boots. Delay due to the first fitting needing to be reworked. The steel-work was at my request. I did however forget to ask for a full leather insole.

I must say I am very impressed.


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## DownByTheRiverSide (Oct 25, 2009)

Those are very beautiful. Thanks for showing them to us.


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## GentlemanGeorge (Dec 30, 2009)

Looking good! Do they come with trees, or is that a significant added expense?


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## Zingari (Jul 9, 2007)

Horace Batten will do trees if you want them, but they are one of a very few bespoke makers that do not make a last of your feet. 

I suppose the advantage is that it keeps the price down.


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## Got Shell? (Jul 30, 2008)

I think those are the nicest Jodphur boots I've ever seen.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Zingari said:


> but they are one of a very few bespoke makers that do not make a last of your feet.


Do you mean just for the trees, or that they don't make an individual last?

In any event, they're beautiful boots. Would love to have them.

What's the hide, do you know?


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Wow! Will you ride in them?


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## Trip English (Dec 22, 2008)

Beautiful


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## Mad Hatter (Jul 13, 2008)

My compliments-those are some good-looking boots.


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## Zingari (Jul 9, 2007)

Flanderian said:


> Do you mean just for the trees, or that they don't make an individual last?
> 
> In any event, they're beautiful boots. Would love to have them.
> 
> What's the hide, do you know?


A tracing of each foot is taken and all the individual measurements that would normally be translated into a last are recorded on a large piece of card - together with any 'unusual' attributes. I was clearly identified as a Celt rather than a 'Norman' - the latter apparantly have a long narrow foot shape!

The leather is French - Mr Batten Jnr believes this to be better for shoe making! I did have a complete choice of thickness/texture etc but decided to remain with the cavalry pattern/colour.

I may on occasion use them for riding but prefer the long boots and had them tipped for more town and country use.

Some more info here: https://horacebatten.com/ Although I did pay quite a bit more for mine than shown.

A little more here with pictures from the workshop/office:

https://ancientindustries.blogspot.com/2010/03/living-horace-batten-bootmaker-ltd.html


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## Reds & Tops (Feb 20, 2009)

Beautiful boots - thanks for sharing.


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## Leather man (Mar 11, 2007)

Zingari said:


> A tracing of each foot is taken and all the individual measurements that would normally be translated into a last are recorded on a large piece of card - together with any 'unusual' attributes. I was clearly identified as a Celt rather than a 'Norman' - the latter apparantly have a long narrow foot shape!
> 
> The leather is French - Mr Batten Jnr believes this to be better for shoe making! I did have a complete choice of thickness/texture etc but decided to remain with the cavalry pattern/colour.
> 
> ...


The racial association sounds eccentric to me. How you can tell someones ancestory from the width or narrowness and length of their feet is suspect. Also why does Mr Batten offer only two racial groups to belong to? Not many Normans came to live here anyway ( and racially they were a mixed lot - true Normans being Vikings but other "Normans" being Brettons, Flemish etc)

I know I am Saxon from DNA tests - more scientific than foot shape. But my feet are very wide and always have been. In fact my width fitting has not changed from childhood.

The boots are great by the way. What do you mean " I forgot to ask for leather insoles"? Surely these would be standard?


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## Pink and Green (Jul 22, 2009)

This calls to mind that old quote-

"He's a gentleman – look at his boots."

Absolutely breathtaking. Can't wait to see what you'd wear them with.


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## jamgood (Feb 8, 2006)

Dunno 'bout H. Batten but some bespoke bootmakers use standard lasts adapted to the individual's measurements via applied layers of leather in various areas. Remove the adjustments, re-use the last, no last fee.


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## Zingari (Jul 9, 2007)

Leather man said:


> The boots are great by the way. What do you mean " I forgot to ask for leather insoles"? Surely these would be standard?


The boots are more about 'function' than fashion so I suppose a full leather insole is seen as superfluous - service dress shoes and my riding boots don't have full insoles either.

In short you can have what you want.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Great shoes, a style we don't usually see over here.

Now what about the blazer with regimental buttons?


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## EastVillageTrad (May 12, 2006)

These are nice; but not my style & not particularly American trad...

But do you think a 4 month wait for a custom pair of shoes is too much to ask?

I've waited almost a year in the past for custom work...


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## Zingari (Jul 9, 2007)

EastVillageTrad said:


> These are nice; but not my style & not particularly American trad...
> 
> But do you think a 4 month wait for a custom pair of shoes is too much to ask?
> 
> I've waited almost a year in the past for custom work...


Whilst I am a patient man I accepted a reasonable date of completion before undertaking the commission.

Personally if I was informed that I would be required to wait 'almost a year' I would find this unacceptable as clearly any business would struggle to survive in terms of turn-over, inefficiency or is heavily subsidised by a global brand (ie John Lobb funded by Hermes). I know of no tailors on Savile Row that would and have kept me waiting this long.

For a year long wait their service/product would need to be unique and one that no other could deliver.


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## jamgood (Feb 8, 2006)

Some bootmakers leave footwear on the lasts for a couple of months.


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

Lovely boots. Certainly worth the wait.

I don't see four months as long at all for custom. If you move outside of clothes into the world of, say, musical instruments you can wait years to get something from a top maker.

If you're paying for bespoke right is better than fast.


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## Naive. Jr. (Dec 4, 2008)

*Inquiry about your previous incarnations of Jodhpur*

I would be very happy to wear such beautiful boots and be patient enough to wait until they were finished. I would like to ask you if you have owned other versions of Jodhpur, and if so, which?


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

Zingari said:


> I was clearly identified as a Celt rather than a 'Norman' - the latter apparantly have a long narrow foot shape!


Interesting, I must be Norman too.

Unfortunately however, my family doesn't to my knowledge have extensive landholdings in England, darn it.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
Curse you zzdocxx. I found myself gushing over pics of Bespoke Jodphur boots in the OP of a four year old resurrected thread! Disappointed. LOL.


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## tigerpac (Jan 23, 2014)

Beautiful, congrats!


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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

Though Horace Batten are tight-lipped about their clients, they do have a few testimonials from satisfied customers on the website, including this gent, who always wore black boots.


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## WmC (Apr 6, 2012)

Great boots!


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