Not my favorite color, but still magnificent! You’ll have them to enjoy for the rest of your life.

 

Truly gorgeous.

 

Good to hear some continue to deliver high quality! Enjoy the boots, they are nice!

 

Outstanding! 🥃 👍👍

 

Those are too nice to wear. Just frame them and put them in a shadow box on the wall.

 

You know it's interesting you say that. A number of years ago, I had the privilege of befriending one of the most well known Alden retailers in the world. Although I have not spoken to him in quite some time, Ed Zapatka told me when I received my first pair of exotic Alden boots, a Ravello Norwegian Split Toe, that I would not want to wear them because they would "look like high end furniture"

Well, many, many pairs later, I can attest they do in fact remind one of high end housewares.

Nevertheless, I remember the words of our dearly beloved and now departed MacArthur "they are shoes not Rembrandts"

So, on the hoof they will go...

Cheers!

 

What happened to Mac?

 

He passed away several years ago now…

 

Thank you W, I had no idea- he was damn good fellow.

 

Absolutely beautiful. Wear them in good health.

 

Wow, very nice.

 

Beautiful boots...sure wouldn't mind a pair in my collection. And with any beautiful shoe they shine best when on your feet out in the sun where you and others can best appreciate them.

Just picked up a couple Alden shells last week myself...though as they were on clearance I'm guessing they've been sitting around a bit and not representative of Alden's recent offerings.

I do wonder as to Alden being comparative to EG and C&J. Alden has its following and has had it for longer than the 15 years I've been familiar with the brand. Ravello, whisky, cognac, etc shell had a high demand even back then. Doesn't seem to have changed much on that front. Seems alden is still pumping out their well known rather chunky look.

But has its place amongst the shoe world really risen? If so, do you feel that Alden quality has gone up or the quality of the EG and C&J down?

Now price wise Alden seems to have caught up with C&J. Shell offerings from both are north of $900. Not sure how much special "color" alden shells are going for as I don't find availability...but the C&J website has whiskey available at $1'050 (short wing derbies) and $1'250 for cap toe derby boots. They also have what they call "dark brown" cordovan available starting at $920 for loafers up to $1'200 for boots. And let's not forget Carmina still offers a pretty nice selection of shell at a lower price point ($850 for cigar shell boots) and often has the special colors available. Alden has often (always) had the issue of having to hunt for the off colored shell..and if memory serves correctly, there's quite a premium price tag that comes with it as well.

As such, I'd also hazard a guess that retail on your boots is within striking distance of EGs regular calf pricing?

All that to say.. that from a quick look, from what I see, the pecking order in the shell market hasn't really changed much the last 15 years or so, has it? And if so, how really?

My new finds..half off..quite the steal..but if I was paying full price of almost $1'000 I'd be considering those C&J whiskey boots for a couple hundred more..or the carmina boots in cigar shell for $150 less ...as well as looking at what EG might have on sale..but at $500..no doubt I'm buying the Alden's in good old fashion #8

[/QUOTE]

 

Beautiful boots...sure wouldn't mind a pair in my collection. And with any beautiful shoe they shine best when on your feet out in the sun where you and others can best appreciate them.

Just picked up a couple Alden shells last week myself...though as they were on clearance I'm guessing they've been sitting around a bit and not representative of Alden's recent offerings.

I do wonder as to Alden being comparative to EG and C&J. Alden has its following and has had it for longer than the 15 years I've been familiar with the brand. Ravello, whisky, cognac, etc shell had a high demand even back then. Doesn't seem to have changed much on that front. Seems alden is still pumping out their well known rather chunky look.

But has its place amongst the shoe world really risen? If so, do you feel that Alden quality has gone up or the quality of the EG and C&J down?

Now price wise Alden seems to have caught up with C&J. Shell offerings from both are north of $900. Not sure how much special "color" alden shells are going for as I don't find availability...but the C&J website has whiskey available at $1'050 (short wing derbies) and $1'250 for cap toe derby boots. They also have what they call "dark brown" cordovan available starting at $920 for loafers up to $1'200 for boots. And let's not forget Carmina still offers a pretty nice selection of shell at a lower price point ($850 for cigar shell boots) and often has the special colors available. Alden has often (always) had the issue of having to hunt for the off colored shell..and if memory serves correctly, there's quite a premium price tag that comes with it as well.

As such, I'd also hazard a guess that retail on your boots is within striking distance of EGs regular calf pricing?

All that to say.. that from a quick look, from what I see, the pecking order in the shell market hasn't really changed much the last 15 years or so, has it? And if so, how really?

My new finds..half off..quite the steal..but if I was paying full price of almost $1'000 I'd be considering those C&J whiskey boots for a couple hundred more..or the carmina boots in cigar shell for $150 less ...as well as looking at what EG might have on sale..but at $500..no doubt I'm buying the Alden's in good old fashion #8

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Good Day Sir,

Thanks for your questions and it is good to see you back!

I will try and answer your inquires. You asked:

"But has its place amongst the shoe world really risen? If so, do you feel that Alden quality has gone up or the quality of the EG and C&J down?"

The overall quality of Alden has essentially remained the same. Alden prices have rise exponentially along with everything else. But, Alden continues to deliver a solid product.

I would definitely say Alden Shell Cordovan offerings rank them in the same conversation as both CJ and EG. CJ are great but their stylings are limited. CJ edge out Alden slightly but the price difference reflects this, CJ are slightly more expensive overall.

There is now a MTO program through CJ which allows for far greater flexibility and choices. Not to mention some of those GMTO are discounted more than Alden, which makes CJ more desirable when that happens.

Edward Green shell cordovan offerings are exorbitantly priced. The last time I saw a Shell Galway it was priced at $2500. I have 1 single pair of EG shell cordovan shoes which I managed to buy from the secondary market in new condition deeply discounted. (Windermere in Burgundy Crup)

And while my EG are noticeably better construction than both CJ and Alden. I simply refuse to pay MSRP for them now. That's not to say I wouldn't in the future.

There is an "x-factor" when it comes to Alden shell cordovan offerings. Especially the rare colorations. They just have a presentation which make them highly desirable. I have over 30 pairs of shell from many, many different makers and Alden are simply fantastic in every way.

I do think the overall quality of both CJ and EG have diminished slightly over the years. Alden have at least remained the same.

You asked:

"As such, I'd also hazard a guess that retail on your boots is within striking distance of EGs regular calf pricing?

All that to say.. that from a quick look, from what I see, the pecking order in the shell market hasn't really changed much the last 15 years or so, has it? And if so, how really?"

My recent whiskey shell cordovan Alden boots are pictured in this thread. I paid about $400-$500 less than your standard calf offerings from EG in a boot. Although, I am not sure what the conversion rate of pound to dollar is ATM.

And no, the pecking order has not changed. Carmina are still the unsung hero's of shell cordovan shoemaking. Although, their overall customer service experience leaves something to be desired. That could be said of all the makers really. I have had nothing but pleasantries with CJ however. EG are the best in terms of customer care in my opinion.

Cheers!

 

^
@justonemore , Good Gosh, it's been nine whole years. Welcome back. Have always enjoyed your posts. Back when I was a youngster 🤡

 

Ha. Thanks for the enthusiastic welcome back. I was thinking I might slide in unnoticed. 🙃

I kind of left the hobby and picked up an even more expensive addiction to traveling the globe. 😅 . Those Alden's are my first "real shoe" purchase since meeting up with RogerP at Leatherfoot Toronto in 2016 (holy smokes). I still enjoy looking around the shops when I find myself in England but stopped the ever increasing active hunting for shoes/suits/etc...and with that came less opportunity to post and be active on the websites. With my somewhat extensive wardrobe I certainly wasn't going barefoot and naked the last 8-9 years.

Either way..my recent find brought back memories of the old days and I thought I'd come have a look as to what's going on. I was surprised to find my account was still active and was delighted to find a few of the older members still around. I well remember Watchman and several of "older members" replying... and as I'm no stranger to Alden I figured it would be the perfect thread to slip into. 😁

 

A thing of beauty. Wear them in good health.

 

I know this thread has a little age to it but I agree they are beautiful boots. The color is outstanding especially in what appears to be out of doors lighting.

 

@justonemore if you are wondering who I think is the best price to quality ratio in the biz ATM, and you may be subconsciously implying this...I do not know...

Nevertheless, I truly think the Italian family of Enzo Bonafe is the best at this. You get to pick and choose your color of cordovan and the exact style. You can even request pattern alterations within reason. They are 100% hand welted. And the cost is only slightly more than Alden and CJ and less expensive than EG.

I would say Enzo Bonafe shell cordovan offerings are as good as EG...for much less money...

Cheers!

 

@justonemore

I wanted to share a couple pics of one of my most prized possessions.

These are Alden Medallion Cap Toe Bluchers on Plaza Last in Color 4 Shell Cordovan:

Cheers!

 

@justonemore

I wanted to share a couple pics of one of my most prized possessions.

These are Alden Medallion Cap Toe Bluchers on Plaza Last in Color 4 Shell Cordovan:

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Cheers!

Wow. Quite impressive indeed. The #4 is quite a lovely color. There's quite an elegance in keeping it a plain medallion toe versus all the additional broguing Ive often seen on MCTs (to include my own in 8). Thank you for sharing. I can certainly see why they would be amongst your most prized.

May I enquire as to how long you've had them and when you took the photos? How much work have you put into them versus out of box? Did you find those in a store or are they special order?

Thanks again...

 

@justonemore I would absolutely say the craftsmanship, stying and overall presentation of these shoes are better than CJ and rival EG. Although, this cannot be said of every pair of Alden...I can say it about these...

 

@justonemore

Several days after I took delivery of the Whiskey Boots in the OP, these arrived:

Alden PTB on Barrie Last in Whiskey Cordovan

 

@justonemore

Several days after I took delivery of the Whiskey Boots in the OP, these arrived:

Alden PTB on Barrie Last in Whiskey Cordovan

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Where would you put 4 in relation to the other Alden shell colors? Was 4 out before the others? For some reason I remember 8 and 4 being discussed before Ravello/cigar/etc.. but my recollection of long ago discussions when I was a newcomer might be a bit off.

 

Ha. You have stores calling you. Nice. I'm not quite so VIP..the place I've gotten most of my Alden's looked at me strange for mentioning that my cobbler did excellent work 😅

 

Yes, I am on a first name basis with several Alden shops. As you are aware, I have been collecting them for over a decade. Sometimes I wish they would not call me...but they do...

 

@justonemore

These are some of the finest examples of Shell Cordovan shoemaking I have ever seen from any maker. On par with EG and CJ all day long.

However, they demonstrate a sad reality…whiskey Cordovan is no longer manufactured by Horween…these are Bourbon rebranded as whiskey by Alden…

See this pic:

The left pair are “new” whiskey and the right pair “old”

The right pair were made around 12-13 years ago. The other pair were made this year.

 

Yes, I am on a first name basis with several Alden shops. As you are aware, I have been collecting them for over a decade. Sometimes I wish they would not call me...but they do...

The designations "color 8" and "color 4" are strictly used by Horween and have been adopted by the makers. The numbers correlate to the amount of dye applied during the tanning processes.

So, color 8 received an "eight fold" amount of dye whilst color 4 receives roughly half the dye of color 8. Color 2 being correlated to Carmina "ruby" etc.

Color 4 was being used by Alden many moons ago. Alden said they would never used the dye again and then brought it back several years ago. Color 8 is by far the most common shade, dating back to the 1940's and 50's. Perhaps even earlier than that...

It's after midnight, my eyes are blurring, and I still need to clean up after dinner and hide eggs. If you wouldn't mind I'd love to continue this discussion later when I can give it the attention it deserves. Thanks again for all your responses and photos.

 

@justonemore these are Ravello Cordovan Medalion Cap Toe Bluchers on Aberdeen Last.

I was told directly in 2023 by Alden themselves that the demand and production for rare Shell shoes is at an all time low, whilst boots are extremely popular.

This same individual stated we can expect to see more and more boots and less and less shoes being produced by Alden in rare colorations.

They said the increasing rise in casual attire exacerbated by the pandemic is to blame.

FWIW, these derby’s are yet another exquisite example of Alden shoemaking and I would place this pair on par with the finest makers in the world today.

Aberdeen last is quite elegant…not as much as Plaza but close. Aberdeen is a classic almond shaped last and while it is not as elegant as some of CJ and EG counterparts, nevertheless the overall presentation and build quality are irreproachable. Cheers!

 

@justonemore these are Ravello Cordovan Medalion Cap Toe Bluchers on Aberdeen Last.

I was told directly in 2023 by Alden themselves that the demand and production for rare Shell shoes is at an all time low, whilst boots are extremely popular.

This same individual stated we can expect to see more and more boots and less and less shoes being produced by Alden in rare colorations.

They said the increasing rise in casual attire exacerbated by the pandemic is to blame.

FWIW, these derby’s are yet another exquisite example of Alden shoemaking and I would place this pair on par with the finest makers in the world today.

Aberdeen last is quite elegant…not as much as Plaza but close. Aberdeen is a classic almond shaped last and while it is not as elegant as some of CJ and EG counterparts, nevertheless the overall presentation and build quality are irreproachable. Cheers!

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You certainly have some rather lovely prime examples. I certainly don't have access to any store that would carry anothing comparable from Alden. Never seen a non-8/black pair here. And shipping to Europe is problematic as I have to get family in the US involved. You seem to have a couple stores nearby..and store owners calling you when they get in such beautiful models. With the relationships that you've built up over the last 2 decades, perhaps they spoil you a little bit? 😅

I still need some long wing derbies and a few pairs of boots ..think I'll try to find some in Ravello next time around. It's a beautiful color..and that pair in #4 you listed were gorgeous as well.

I have 9 Alden shells. 7 are in #8, 2 are black (the only "special" color I have are a pair of Carmina monks in Cognac). All but 1 were purchased at a local store that carries what it carries. So I'm by no means pretending to be an expert versus merely curious.

I'm not sure I've ever handled Edward Green shell. I've been to their London store half a dozen times over the years and don't recall ever seeing a model displayed (though my memory might be slipping). So again, I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on how EG does shell compared to Alden.

I do have 6 EGs in calf and enjoy them immensely...but they're all over 10 years old by now so I couldn't comment on modern issues.

Funny enough..the 2 pairs of boots that "died" this year were 1 each from Alden and EG. The leather of my Alden George boots ripped where the tongue meets the vamp. The cobbler I use didn't think any fix would last long. The EGs cracked right at the cuboid (I'll be sending them to EG to be looked at..hopefully they might have a suggestion). Both were favorites and saw a lot of use

Other than the aforementioned boots, my EGs are more occasional use. Yes, the black and dark oak cap-toe Oxfords are lovely and the standard in "formal" business footwear..but I rarely have a call for such and will usually choose something a bit more interesting 😀

I'd say overall my Aldens see the most use. They're all casual (derbies, chukkas, tassel loafers) and I have no need to dress formal nowadays..

But that further leaves me unable to compare. I have formal EGs and casual Aldens. I wear them differently for different occasions. And I don't own Aldens in calf or EGs in shell.

I was recently looking at getting some boots..my jaw dropped upon seeing Alden whiskey chukkas listed at $2'000. The whiskey short wings were a bargain at only $1'000. I almost wanted to get them but boots were the goal and I just bought Alden short wing derbies in #8 a month or so ago. I also found them a bit too light coloured for my liking..but. Given the choice between an EG calf or those Aldens, I would have picked the Aldens. And while $1'000 isn't cheap, it's a drop in the bucket compared to prices I've seen on EG shell.

Vass as usual has some lovely calf options.

Carmina still offers a nice variety and I enjoy the 6 Carmina's in my collection..but their customer service is a turn off. I had issues with their attitude 10 years ago and that didn't change when I contacted them a few weeks ago. I had pretty much picked out a couple pairs but the attitude got me looking elsewhere.

It came down to 2 pairs. AE had a sale on boots in Dark brown cordovan for $599..and I found a pair of BNIB Alden Jump Boots in #8 for $650. Perhaps it's brand loyalty..but I couldn't pass up the Alden's. I would have taken both but doubt my wife would have been happy about adding an undiscussed pair (there's always another shoe on sale 🙄). She's a great wife and supportive of my hobbies but a 4th pair in under 6 weeks would probably be seen as excessive. I'll have to wait until we're in London in July to mention any "bargains" I might find 😁.

Oh, those AEs you hooked me up with 10 years ago or so are still going strong. I just brought them into the cobbler last week for a bit of work but they're one of my go to travel shoes and have seen more airports than most Americans 😂.

Seens I'm starting to ramble..better cut it off here. I should stop hitting the forums at 1am..🙃

 

@justonemore may I ask what size you wear in Alden? Cheers!

 

With 2 exceptions all my Alden's are 12E..but I've never tried a D because the store I get my Alden's from only carries Es.

On some of the wider lasts I feel as if a D would be a bit better fit. The Jump Boots I just ordered are a D on the Barrie so I'll be figuring out if D is appropriate soon enough.

I'd say E is correct for these Short Wing Bluchers and Tassels on the Aberdeen. The tassels are the stiffest shoes I own. They were stiff coming out of the box and they're still stiff 13 years later. I've only had the short wings out a fee times but I'd say they're pretty close to being a good fit overall

Opposite that, these George boots on the Barrie and the PTB on the modified feel as if I could go down to a D.

The 2 exceptions are 13Es because they were on clearance and I wasn't passing on them at $400 for being a bit big. 😅. No doubt they're a bit roomy but neither have caused me any issues with active all day wearings. The Medallion cap-toes on the Aberdeen have been favorites and the chukkas on the Barrie I use as all weather S-kickers

 

@justonemore may I ask what size you wear in Alden? Cheers!

HA. I always forget about my Alden for BB. They've fallen a bit out of favour and don't see much time in the rotation. They are a 13D on the M75 last...which is supposedly about the same as the Plaza (but perhaps a bit larger). The D width works pretty nicely with them. I'd say E on anything narrower but D would be fine for the wider lasts.

 

@justonemore these are also one of my all time favs. Funny story about these.

Alden NST Saddle Shoe on Barrie Last in Color 4 Shell Cordovan.

They were originally supposed to be whiskey but The Shoe Mart called and asked if it were “ok” if they changed the leather to color 4. As you can imagine I was ecstatic to have them in #4.

 

@justonemore these are also one of my all time favs. Funny story about these.

Alden NST Saddle Shoe on Barrie Last in Color 4 Shell Cordovan.

They were originally supposed to be whiskey but The Shoe Mart called and asked if it were “ok” if they changed the leather to color 4. As you can imagine I was ecstatic to have them in #4.

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Finally got these delivered today..of course they're calling for cloudy weather and rain the next few days..oh well, no hurries, they'll see the sun soon enough.😁

 

I can sure feel for you. Hope you demanded a 10% discount. 😅😅😅

As usual, another prime example of an Alden beauty that I'd happily add to my collection. As Rod Srewart put it.."some guys have all the luck". 😁.

Funny you post these.. I've been browsing for something similar and was hoping to find a pair of Alden Tanker boots in Ravello or #4. I only have 2 split-toes and neither are shell nor Alden No luck so far but I suppose hunting is half the fun. No hurries anyways, as previously mentioned my wife has been graceful with my recent multiple purchases..but I suppose if I do find something (to include Medallion Cap toes and wings) in a rarer color I suppose I'd have to cross the bridge anyways and hit her up with the idea 🙄.

Still waiting on my jump boots. They got to my mother's just fine. My mother shipped them out just fine. They made it to Zurich just fine at 0800 on the 22nd .and after that no news since. Hopefully tomorrow or I'll have to start tracking them down on Tuesday. 🙃

The cigar shell version looks pretty nice though a bit rustic

These in #4 are pretty sleek. Think these would be what I'd go fo if I had any type of choice