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Vintage shoe repairs


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I collect and sell vintage shoes and have quite a few queries for you!

 

I have some late 1960's ladies shoes with a 1/2 platform that the resin soles has gone brittle on and cracked/broken on one shoe. They're a fab style otherwise and needed for a stage production in Australia would you believe! so is it all right to ask for quotes by PM?

At the moment I have two choices, give all my shoes to the independant here who has the monopoly on all 3 shops in town and charges as such (I also have not been confident in their responses when I conversed with the manager), or go to Johnsons, who dish the work out to the same independant, but I can use tesco vouchers with for 1/3 price but I don't get to speak to the repairer, which can be an issue with vintage shoes and very specific requirements.

I hope you can appreciate that as I'm selling them on, the price of a repair can determine whether or not the shoes are worth selling! Normally, I wouldn't get a professional repair done on a cheap plastic shoe like these as the cost is too high for the final sale price but these have been requested. Having said that In many cases it is necessary and I am absolutely willing to pay the proper price for good work.

 

I don't suppose anybody here is working in the East midlands?

I have many vintage shoes needing repairs of all varieties so it would be worth a drive.

 

Examples of work I need doing on other shoes:

odd shaped heel tips,

new elastic covered with the original leather (usually on the back of an ankle strap)

new leather sole on one wedge shoe!

is it possible to get new paper socks/insoles that can be stuck down? I have a few pairs of shoes where the old one was removed as it curled up or tore and they would look miles better with something on top of the raw inside. I can't use the commercial foam insoles as they change the size.

new buckle parts - these take the old dance style slip on strap which have a buckle and a hook that goes round it, it doesn't undo as such. The buckle looks like a flattened dish shape often with an art deco impression stamped on them. I have no idea if old stock of these is available somehow?

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In some cases I sell to collectors and museums too so these are not people who will want to get them repaired themselves. I have never sold shoes that needed repairs, it wouldn't look good in my shop. They are sold as ready to wear, or display only (I wouldn't touch pre-1930's footwear).

 

Melanie.

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