How to read and convert old shoe sizing

Pinkcoke

Pinkcoke

Alumni
I have several pairs of shoes now that have old shoe sizes marked on them that I can't relate to their measurements or work out what the real sizes are. Does anyone know of a system that explains the old shoe sizing system in modern sizes? UK or US!

Examples: Lengths are all measured from the inside.

40s Dolcis for Bally shoes marked 7B or 6 Length 10"

Norwich 'Seeba' for Matthias Robinson sandals marked 8 1/2B length 10 1/2"

Lotus court shoes marked 70B Length 9 3/4"

The Trusty Shoe lace ups marked 60 length 9 3/4"
 
I'm not familiar with any resource that does that. However I personally find that most vintage shoes run about a half size smaller than modern shoe sizes on my foot, and then of course the letter identification next to the number indicates width. As far as UK and AU sizes, I am not familiar with those, so I can't be of help. If you're looking to sell the shoes, the length and width at the ball of the foot is the best info you can offer your customers who are trying to determine fit.
 
There is a difference between UK and US sizing, but there hasn't been any change in these shoe sizing systems since the 19th century. The exact length of shoes can vary greatly within the same sizing because it doesn't affect how they fit, only how they look. Also, some leathers may shrink with age and seem smaller, alternatively, previously worn shoes can become looser with wear and seem larger. There can also be differences between companies and origin of manufacturers. I find German shoes are wider and Italian shoes shallower and as I have a high instep but a wide ball I can wear a German (US sized) shoe but not an Italian (US sized) shoe of the same marked size.
 
With the exception of the Lotus brand shoes the above were all made in England. It's the Bally shoes in particular which don't seem to match up - the marks on the inside read 7 B (the letter on it's side? not sure why) a series of numbers and then 6 on it's own I'm not sure which of these is the original size and there's no longer any marks on the soles having been worn and resoled.

The Matthias Robinson shoes would fit an extremely narrow 8 or 7 1/2 but certainly not a 8 1/2. I am an 8 and they fit lengthwise but the width is too narrow to even try on. I wasn't sure if I read the handwritten number wrong and maybe it was a 6 1/2 but surely there would be a bigger different between two whole sizes?
 
There may have been a mis-sizing with the Bally shoes, because Switzerland normally uses the Paris Point shoe size system, so the shoes should be marked '36' or whatever 2/3 of the length is in centimeters. In translating the size for the British market, it's possible they screwed up. I have bought Italian shoes that were incorrectly marked with the U.S. sizing (on sale because they were mismarked!)
 
I have two pairs of late 70s Bally shoes, made and sold in Switzerland, and I can't figure their sizes out either... they're not marked in our sizes (e.g. 37 which is my standard size here) - one pair is a 6D (which is on the bigger side for me - could probably have been a size smaller, but I can wear them) and the onther one is marked 3 1/2E, and they are quite narrow (but I have narrow feet) but fit me. From my experience with 60s to 80s Bally shoes, which turn up at the thrift shops I frequent regularly, all I can do is try them on, but there's no going with the sizes they're marked with.

Karin
 
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