Peal & Co (England) stunning boots

I mentioned the Peal and Co. here and I am stunned by the beautiful boots the company made during its existance, pity they went defunct in 1965. The Peal & Co house was the ultimate boot makers in England.

Laced riding boot

 The back of the riding boot

 The clients name who commissioned the boot at Peal & Co and the lasted boot trees

 The Peal & Co label insignia inside the boot

 A Peal & Co riding boot - one

 A Peal & Co riding boot - two

A Peal & Co laced riding boot

 A Peal and Co two toned buttoned balmoral boot

Eight buttoned two toned balmoral boot

 Pictures sourced from Metropolitan Art Museum and the Internet

A 1900-1910 Peal Vintage Balmoral buttoned boot

For today I have picked up an old two toned buttoned balmoral boot from Peal the English bespoke shoemaker, the company closed in 1965. 

 "Peal and Co were founded in 1565 and were the oldest-established and most successful makers in the World, employing up to 200 staff. The firm was established in Durham and moved to Derby in 1765, reaching London in 1791. In 1953 Peal bought their Oxford Street neighbours, Bartley and Son, inheriting their Boot and Fox emblem and moved to Wigmore Street in 1958. The business closed early in 1965, when the family decided that lack of family succession, a declining trade and shortage of skilled staff made closure their best option. The closure of Peal and Co was very helpful to the remaining shoemakers in London including Foster and Son, who acquired two important assets, the boot and fox emblem and Terry Moore.The Peal family had an excellent reputation as innovators, and developed a semi-mechanised production method (not used by us) by which a last hand-made by Terry (Terry Moore last maker at Foster and Son )and his colleagues could be duplicated up to 8 times on a copying lathe. The pattern-cutting was done by hand, but the making itself was done in a large works in Shepherds Bush to increase productivity. The unique Peal "easy exit" last was very suitable for riding boots and slippers. Terry brought many of the Peal lasts with him to 83 Jermyn Street and today our collection of old Peal lasts are retained as a valuable reference point for certain styles of riding boots and slippers for which they where particularly suited". 

Here is a vintage two toned Balmoral buttoned boot from about 1900-1910, in brown (tan/chestnut) and white calf hide, punched cap toe, a single sole and seven functional buttons. Even for its age the boot has a nice patina and shows that it was well kept and cared for by the owner. It is a very stunning & beautiful boot. 

Peal & Co (England) Buttoned Balmoral boot from 1900-1910

Terry Moore (last maker extraordinaire) and his "brood" - Emma, Emiko and Kasia.

Pictures sourced from the Internet, Style forum and Peal's history from Ask Andy About Clothes.

WS Foster and Son - Bespoke shoe designs

W. S. Foster and Son bespoke boot and shoemaker in London is the lesser known and appreciated bespoke boot & shoemaker. I find it difficult to comprehend that "The Shoemakers' shoemaker" is overlooked. A shame as the company produces some very spectacular designs. I have on this blog touched down on the Forster and Son house here. The house of Forster and Son do from time to time bring in very unique and extra ordinary designs which are well balanced and also appealing to the viewer.

In 2012 Forster and Son introduced the below bespoke peaked cap - two toned oxford in burgundy/cream and blue/cream suede. This shoe resembles the 1920's era. It is a beauty.

Below a bespoke three tier derby old design which has been modified and twicked a bit here and there to bring the below new version.

An old design "The Thomas" bespoke curved balmoral oxford which was revived by Mr. Charlie Watts the legendary Rolling stones drummer. This design is very unique, so well done.

A bespoke loafer in crocodile.

 A wing tipped bespoke monk with brogue and inner gimping - faded black

 A red bespoke crocodile oxford square chisel toe last

Ready to wear two tier derby with tassel laces, as simple as it can get -on the 888 Last from Edward Green.

Well, I would not blog without mentioning side gussets or Balmoral boots. Forster and Son do offer a Balmoral boot in ready to wear, the Montrose it is on the 337 C&J Last.

Montrose Balmoral boot in ready to wear, calf leather - chestnut.

 Montrose in Black and grey (Calf leather and suede

Side gusset "The Fitzwilliam" also ready to wear, based on the 888 Edward Green last.

All pictures sourced from W. S. Foster and Son

WS Foster - Shoe of the Week (Spectators)

For this week I have chosen two styles of spectators from one of my favourite shoe makers, WS Foster & Sons (bespoke boot and shoe maker). Currently, I do not own a pair of these beauties (spectators) but after seeing these, I am ready for the ride.

The below depicted oxford shoe has all the elements I like within a spectator, the full brogue, squared chisel toe, and the colour. The white part is of buckskin which is better than nubuck.

 Below a Derby styled spectator in a round toe.

Pictures sourced from A Suitable wardrobe 

WS Foster and Son Bespoke Shoemakers

WS Foster & Son Bespoke Boot and Shoe makers in London, a company with a long and interesting shoe & boot history making.

When looking at the bespoke pieces of WS Forster & Son, one can see the tracks of history as well as the fingerprints of The Honourable Mr. Terry Moore, the WS Foster house last maker.

Odd that when googling the WS Foster shoes, not so many hits, compared to other English brands.
WS Foster deserves more than that. Here I give you WS Forster creations, both bespoke and Ready To  Wear products.

The legendary Mr. Moore below

Above picture of Mr. Moore, sourced from "A Suitable Wardrobe"

WS Foster's Bespoke Buttoned Balmoral Boots

Below a bespoke Adelaide Oxford shoe

Below a bespoke punched cap Oxford, faded by the Sun. Unique.

 The channelled sole of the above shoe

Above photos sourced from WS Forster's web site 

Pictures of bespoke samples sourced from "A Suitable Wardrobe"

A "city shoe" as named by "A Suitable Wardrobe". 

The below is a bespoke shoe, sourced from a

"A Suitable Wardrobe"

The below pictures are samples of WS Forster's Ready To Wear (RTW) shoes. Reasonably priced too.
The RTW shoes are either on the Crockett & Jones, 337 Last or Edward Green, 888 Last and other EG lasts.  Forster's RTW shoes are very elegantly made, and do have the fingerprints of Mr. Moore.

Look at the pictures of the RTW collection and be the Judge.

The RTW collection is worth a starting point for gents building a good and elegant shoe collection, when bespoke is just a dream.

RTW  Punched Cap-toe Oxford CJ 337 Last. 

RTW Stitched cap-toe Oxford on CJ 337 Last

 RTW Full Brogue on CJ 337 Last

 RTW Semi Brogue on CJ 337 Last

  

A RTW Chelsea on the CJ 337

A RTW Two-toned Balmoral Boot on the CJ 337 Last 

A RTW formal slip-on on the EG 888 Last

All of the above pictures are sourced from "WS Foster & Son" web site.

I strongly advice, gents who are building a good shoe wardrobe, which is good looking, elegant & stylish to consider the WS Foster RTW collection as an option.  

I own a few of these creations and I am more than happy with the shoes. 

The WS Forster & Son team is very helpful and are very knowledgable about their products.