The aging process of leather shoes is something a shoe connoisseur relishes. The patina, or the color age gives to the leather, is something to really behold.
This particular pair of shoes is a pair owned by Tom from back in 2001. Notice the lightening of the leather and development of a unique patina.
26 Responses to Alden Shoes – Aging of Color #8 Shell Cordovan
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Lovely. Will you enlighten (intended) me as to the manner in which they were kept and thereby lightened.
Forest,
Thank you for the comment. These shoes were never treated or polished with wax remarkably. They were also left out in the indirect sunlight for a few months during 2007 at my home.
Aloha,
Tom
Tom, pleasantly surprised to see these shoes posted on your website … they make a great addition to all the nice new aldens you have 🙂 The shoes are almost cigar-like in color, the patina is beautiful. My #8 PTBs are nearing the 1 year mark and they have lightened up a bit, but I have a long way to go … hoepfully they will turn out like yours someday.
I really hope that you will post pics of your other aldens too, the aging of shell is very unique and always beautiful.
Beautiful!
Thanks Sri, Thanks Speedmaster!
Aloha,
Tom
They would look very different if you polished them. I regularly polish all my shell cordovan shoes and they are extremely shiny. (I know people advise against this, but I have never experienced any “buildup” of any kind.
Zach,
Thank you for the comment. Yes, they would. I regularly polish my shell cordovan shoes too. This particular pair was kind of an experiment.
Aloha,
Tom
I like shell and own 2 pair of Alden and 1 pair of Ron Ryder. My question for you – do you actually ever wear your shoes? Mine all have scuffs and nicks, etc., because I wear them.
Mark,
Not sure if I understand your question. I wear my shoes 5-6 days a week.
Aloha,
Tom
Tom,
This is a great example of how the shell cordovan ages. What I am wondering is that in the absence of any wax, how long cordovan leather can remain soft and supple, as is its characteristic. Don’t you think, without any wax, the leather will get dried and hard eventually, though far later than calf leather.
Nadeem.
Nadeem,
If you get a chance to visit our Hawaii store you will see that this pair is still supple and very nice even without polishing much. Wax will not soften or make shell cordovan supple. It will only bring out a shine and color on the top surface.
Shell cordovan is really a unique and wonderful leather!
Aloha,
Tom
Thanks, Tom, this is a great learning about the characteristics of this wonderful material.
Nadeem.
Tom,
Is there a way to speed up the aging process? Love the color these have developed.
Ryan
Ryan,
Leaving them in the direct sunlight would help.
Aloha,
Tom
Gorgeous shoes…cant wait for my shell watch straps to develop a lot of patina!
-Daniel
Thank you Daniel.
I have a pair of tassel loafers that have turned a medium to dark brown. I’ve been polishing them with oxblood wax to redden the color. That actually worked, and raised the gloss.
Last week, I de-waxed them, and they are brown again.
Can I tell from the markings inside the shoe whether they were brown all along, or whether the red tones have been “patinad” to brown?
Steve,
Yes, with the model # we can tell what color it was.
Aloha,
Tom
The markings are:
10 7A/8 0/2 7
AA 563
B
Steve,
Those were color #8.
Aloha,
Tom
Thanks Tom;
When I cleaned off years of oxblood and cordovan wax, I just kept cleaning until no more color appeared on the cloth. Lexol cleaner and water rinse. I scrubbed with an applicator brush to a foamy state, then wiped with a wet cloth.
When I finished, the surface looked like dark brown suede. I thought I had ruined them.
I boned them a minute or so daily for a week, and they frcovered to the color and gloss of your shoes.
When I got your last note, I polished them with a very light application of AE burgundy
for cordovan, and the red-brown-black color came bach with a high gloss. The go well again with all colors of suits again.
Thanks,
Steve
I had a similar experience, less aggressive cleaning, but after getting the wax off they looked not only terrible, but bone dry. I gave them some Lexol, then roughly a million coats of Venetian Shoe Cream. At that point they were beautiful. Interested in suggestions for conditioning dry vintage shell that may have been neglected for years.
AM I COrrect that color #8 is red brown. What other color polish creams are available? Is a neutral available. I ask because I have all four of your cordovan colors.
Richard,
We like to call #8 burgundy. We do not have a neutral polish, only brown, burgundy, and black.
Aloha,
Tom
I have a pair of #8 cordovan chukkas and the left shoe has lightened considerably more that the right. The left is more of a reddish color while the right is considerably darker. Is this uneven color change common? Will the right shoe eventually lighten to “match” the left or are my shoes just poorly matched?
Shinbo,
As shell is a natural material, even the same shell can take to dying differently. Therefore, it is impossible for both shoes to be perfectly the same. I can’t say if they will eventually match. However, we can have them redarkened to match a darker shade.
Aloha,
Tom