Need help identifying shell cordovan

[zerostyle]

I'm looking to possibly bid on a pair of AE's on ebay that appear to possibly be shell cordovan, but am not sure.


Anything I can look for to be sure?


The make & model seem to have the right color shade, and the front upper seems like it might have some waves.


Pictures aren't the best, but I'm thinking it's shell. Anything else I can look for?

[nicholascrawford]

It would definitely say either shell or cordovan in the listing. Unless the seller was completely clueless about shoes.

[zerostyle]

The shoe has a very cheap price marked on the sole, so my guess is the seller picked it up from a thrift store and might not know what it is.


Also, the part of the sole where it would say "shell cordovan" was completely worn down, so they wouldn't have seen it...

[zerostyle]

@nicholas - could I send you the auction to inspect?

[trash]

Could you check if the particular model was ever available in shell from AE? I guess it could be custom made, but I'm not sure how common that is.

[n0rm]

FWIH, the only real way to tell is by the creasing or lack of the shoe develops. Shell cordovan tends to roll, instead of wrinkling.


There's a pair that I've been peeping on ebay that I think is shell but I'm still unsure on. Seller doesn't list as such and I'm not about to ask as he might jack up the price lol.

[ninja138]

For AE, the easiest way is if there is a photo of the markings on the inside of the shoe. All AE shoes are assigned a four digit code; these uniquely identify the type, last, and leather of the shoe. You will see the current codes on AE's website when you choose a shoe and then click on the leather pull-down menu. For the codes that don't appear (shoe and/or leather are discontinued), you need to call and ask AE.

[zerostyle]

Arghhhh.... was running late to a work meeting and missed the auction. The pair went for $68+shipping.


I'm pretty sure someone just got a sweet pair of cordovan MacNeil's for $80.


This was the pair I was looking at. Everyone else think it was shell? (almost hoping people tell me it's not so I can feel better about missing this)


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Allen-Edmond...#ht_500wt_1182

[trash]

Those definitely look like shell...

[nicholascrawford]

I don't know leather that well...I would defer to others. I'm back in Milwaukee and about 25 minutes away from Sussex. =)

[ninja138]

I think that was a calfskin MacNeil. I can see noticeable creases in the leather and the heel is an oak leather sole; cordovan MacNeils come with a Reddenbach oak leather sole (unless custom ordered with a different sole).

[zerostyle]

Did they ever make calf skin MacNeil's in burgundy though? I know they did a burnished brown which has since been discontinued...


Tony is making me feel at least a little better here

[trash]

Doing some searching I do see some references to a burgundy grain calfskin MacNeil, but the one in the listing doesn't look like it has the grain texture...Good point about the soles though, those definitely look like the standard AE soles. But then again, if you search on SF for shell MacNeil's you'll find some pictures that have that standard sole, so I dunno...

[zerostyle]

Ya, AE's site and google searches show that normal sole on the current shell model, so it definitely doesn't rule it out.


Pretty sure this was actually shell... oh well. Maybe n0rm from above picked them up and can tell us later =)

[Acousticfoodie]

Those are cordovan. I have a pair of shell macneils myself and the leather fits the profile. Althought the heel is different, these might have been redrafted before.