Shoe dating and maker question: The Florsheim Shoe Salon

retro ruth

retro ruth

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Staff member
Hi everyone,

I bought these recently, excuse the quick and dirty pics, hope you can see them okay.

Can anyone date them? I thought they might be 50s, but am not very experienced at shoes.

I was also wondering about the maker? They say Made Expressly for The Florsheim Shoe Salon, and Florette, made for the Florsheim Shoe Salon.

I've heard of Florsheim shoes, but I wasn't sure if this is the same company. I have a 50s bag that is labelled "James Florsheim of London" and my research for that found that there appears to have been a Regent Street (London) shop called Florsheim of London, a department store I think, since at least 1935. So I'm wondering if these could be shoes from that shop, rather than the American Florsheim shoes company. I bought these shoes in London.

Third question, is there any significance to the handwritten numbers inside?

Many thanks in advance for my continuing vintage education.

Ruth



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I would date them as early 1950s - they remind me of the ones that Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell wore in 1953's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". You can see a pic here and here.

We have a Florsheim shoe company in Australia too: it seems to be a part of the US Florsheim company that started in 1892. It's an unusual name and I'm inclined to think that if they have a big profile in Australia, perhaps they were in the UK too? Or perhaps they are American shoes? It doesn't look like the Australian Florsheim made ladies shoes until 2003, although I'm sure that I bought a couple of pairs in 1998, but they may have been mens shoes in a very small size (they're my walking shoes).

Nicole
 
thanks Nicole, especially for those Gentlemen Prefer Blondes pics!

I had looked at the Florsheim website, sorry should have said. It was the use of the word 'salon' that made me wonder, as I didn't see that anywhere else with the Florsheim shoe company. I couldn't find any reference to them in the UK back in the 50s, only the Florsheim of London shop, which I think is probably unconnected. As a family name Florshiem crops up all over the world. Of course the shoes could be from the US and have travelled.

Thanks for finding another Florette. If Florette has been used by them, perhaps it is the same company.

Great to know you think 50s too.
 
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