I have been looking for a an extra pair of darkish brown Oxford shoes for a while. And wanting to step up in quality I have been watching the beautiful shoes from Gaziano & Girling and Edward Green; the retail prices of some £750-£850 have been holding me back,though.
At the same time I have been admiring the sleek, spade-shaped 1966 last from
Herring. The Drake is a result of a corporation between Herring and Alfred Sargent.
A good quality shoe, based on a sleek last and built with a quality English oak bark leather sole (from J.&J.F. Baker in Devonshire) and the finest French and Italian leathers for the upper. Made on the premises of Alfred Sargent in Northampton.
...and I went for this; I want to explore the out-spoken advantages of the oak bark leather sole
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| Herring Drake - oxblood Oxford hole-punched captoe |
The shoe has a lovely rolled waist - not the fiddle back waists of G&Gs and not the straight waist of Cheaneys; but something in between.
The hand burnishing is not paid much attention to compared to the higher priced G&Gs, but I do not mind; as long as the basic craftmanship of oak bark leather soles sturdily attached to fine upper leathers; shaped on a last with a high in-step; a tight waist and narrow heels; I am happy.
The oxblood coloured leathers I will take good care of over the years to come and under my use of Saphir médaille d'or waxes in a mix of Burgundy and dark Havanna-Brown hues the uppers will age beautifully, I am sure.
I am quite happy with the finishing of stichings, the colours and the hidden channeling of the good-year welted soles. All in all the shoes appear to be of a good quality.
And I really like the looks and the embracing feeling of the tight waist.
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| High in-step; spade-shaped; classic square toe |
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| The 1966 last by Herring |
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| Made in Northampton, England |
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| Rolled waists on the oak bark leather soles |
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