How to Identify Shell Cordovan Leather

In this video I show you several examples of expensive Shell Cordovan leather shoes, show you how to visually identify it and the models of shoes that are probably shell, and also several examples of shoes that are commonly mistaken for Shell Cordovan.
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Music Credit: KZbin Audio Library:
"Seventh Floor Tango" by Silent Partner

[@CobblerBob]

All, I forgot to mention that one of the sources that was helpful to me was an article in styleforum.com, although I don’t right now have a link to it, I think the article was called “shell or not shell“, it was a huge thread where people posted photos of shoes, and the experts on styleforum chimed in as to whether or not they were shell Cordovan.

[@douglasvelazco1479]

Sometimes people refer to shell cordovan just by the color burgundy, they probably think cordovan is the color not the material of the shoe itself. Excellent content.

[@TheNunakun]

You are a hero amongst the greats, Mr. Powers. This has helped me understand what Shell really looks like without ever having experienced it firsthand. I have fallen victim to the "Cordovan" name trick, but I paid pretty much pennies for what they were worth regardless. Cannot wait to begin my homemade shoe cobbling adventure with them!

[@CobblerBob]

TheNunakun 😄 you’re too kind!!

[@alexadomeit2506]

Mr. Cobbler Bob, I love the recent barrage of videos. Thank you for the consistent quality and awesome videos!

[@jbench2756]

thank you for these kinds of videos, im just learning about these beautiful dress shoes, and the info you have provided has been very helpful. thanks again

[@jsimmens]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. This wonderful tutorial is greatly appreciated!

[@CobblerBob]

👊🏼

[@gilbertschaeffer9466]

Very informative and valuable video for someone like myself who is in the resale higher end clothing and shoe market. Especially mens shoes. I want to provide my customers with accurate data before they purchase. Happy them, happy me. Thank you!

[@CobblerBob]

I'm glad it helped!

[@robfulano2552]

Very informative Robert, thanks

[@wignallyt]

Another great video. So interesting. Thank you!

[@ericfreutel8240]

Wonderful and highly instructive review. Many thanks 🙏 😊

[@CobblerBob]

I'm glad it helped!

[@salvatoreIII]

Thanks for the info and tips. Greatly appreciated.

[@CobblerBob]

👊🏼

[@redwoodsquirrel432]

Very informative and thank you so much for sharing. You certainly have been a very busy person this week😊. I've love all of your videos and hopefully I can afford a pair of Allen Edmonds Park Avenue in Shell Cordovan some day, although the shipping costs to Scotland are a little high!!

[@CobblerBob]

Redwood Squirrel - thank you! I too would love to obtain some Shell AE’s!

[@clkwa2025]

So informative!

[@johnparkerzabala]

Pls stop this relaxing good timing from my 20 minute break from work hahha God bless

[@CobblerBob]

John Parker Zabala 👊🏼😂 👍🏼

[@gordon5004]

Very informative. Thank you

[@bronovalter391]

OK, you've convinced me! I have my eye out. Don't worry! I'm a size 8-9!

[@norxcontacts]

Thank you for the information. I found my first pair of whiskey Shell Cordovan penny loafers by Alden.

[@CobblerBob]

MilkCap - ahh! The natural & Whiskey (lighter colors) are the MOST sought after !! 👊🏼

[@valeriavegh4119]

Great information!

[@TrojanMars1]

Nice video. Thanks for sharing.

[@CobblerBob]

TrojanMars1 - you’re welcome!

[@MrScipio2011]

Glad you like cordovan so much. Plastic would look like that. I have a pair of bison leather shoes that after 11 years have minimal micro creasing. I wear mostly in winter. The company was from Montana, can’t remember the name. Cheers.

[@megaswenson]

H.S. Trask & Company, which was bought-out (current production includes various jobbers in various countries).

[@loveatari]

Well done. Thank you

[@kaikaichen]

Another fun fact about Allen Edmonds Shell Cordovan shoes - they come standard with premium JR (Rendenbach) soles.

[@CobblerBob]

kaikaichen - yes! Also as I mentioned leather rubber dovetail combo heels. The pre-2019 ones have the “Genuine Horween Shell Cordovan” logo and JR logo on the ball of the foot, in 2019 they changed them to placing the logo on the arch of the sole of the foot

[@harrykekgmail]

very useful. thanks

[@CobblerBob]

👊🏼

[@TeutonicIXXI]

Robert aka CB, thanks for all your great content and sharing your passion for great shoes. It’s certainly contagious!! I recently stumbled across a nice looking pair of long wing brogues from Freeman Bootmaker’s Guild. Have you heard of them and know anything about these?

[@CobblerBob]

Robert, sorry for not replying, sometimes I get busy and comments get missed! No, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of them!

[@asphaltgypsy868]

Excellent tutorial! Thank you so much!! Subbed, bell rang :)

[@CobblerBob]

AsphaltGypsy thank you 🙏🏼!

[@timothythomas1626]

I tryed useing the words "Well Worn in a Shoe listing once on ebay. It was a Old Pair of skater Vans. Anyway ebay Blocked me from listing it until I removed "Well Worn" It took me an Hour to even figure out why I couldn't list them. And finally on a forum I seen others that said people who list used underwire use "Well Worn" in their used underwear Listings.

[@CobblerBob]

LOL!

[@douglaslbutler]

I could swear they were those Crockett and Jones. They were sold under Ralph Lauren and Crockett and Jones. I've seen them increase in value over the years. It's my dream shoe. Listen to me, dream shoe. You can tell I have nothing going on.

[@joshuarozario5654]

Hi Bob! Love you videos as always! I needed some advice. I was told by someone that I use Neatsfoot oil to condition my thrifted shell cordovan. I think I applied a little too much, it looks darker too. How and what do you suggest I do restore them right?

[@CobblerBob]

Joshua Rozario - I’ve never used neatsfoot oil, but I have heard that it can darken Shell Cordovan. I’m not a Shell Cordovan Cate expert... maybe ask Preston Soto of “The Elegant Oxford”? Or get on the “Vintage Florsheim (or other long lost vintage shoes) lovers” Facebook group and ask.

[@CrispyFrenFry]

Great learning resource though I’ve yet to secure a cordovan shoe in the price range you found on eBay. Mine have been in the $200 range but I do wear eee width so I understand my size is difficult to find which may add to the price tag.

[@CobblerBob]

Sorry for missing your comment... I also wear a EE to EEE width. FYI the "Mystery" shell cordovan shoes were purchased at a thrift store where they had no idea what shell cordovan is. I would agree, it's rare to find shell cheap on eBay, and very unliekly in a EEE width. Althoug I've found I think 5 total pairs of shell cordovan shoes thrifting, I have yet to find any in my size.

[@julioc4978]

Do you use cream and wax specially formulated for shell cordovan? Excellent educational video

[@CobblerBob]

Julio C - thank you. I don’t own any Shell shoes that I can wear. I’ve had 4 or 5 pairs over the past couple years, but I just cleaned them up and got rid of them, so no, I haven’t used the special Shell Cordovan polish bc it’s just hard to justify buying it (Saphir) in the 4 or 5 colors I’d need just to use it once a year.

[@kfung4]

I recently saw a Berwick shell cordovan boots in a ship, they claimed is shell from Argentina, but they don’t look as nice

[@tesora5691]

Is the brooks brother with that horse symbol inside then cordovan shell as it is often referred to as cordovan?

[@CobblerBob]

I'm honetly not sure. You have to be careful, because "Shell Cordovan" is the material from a horse, and "cordovan" is a color similar to burgundy or merlot.

[@bernardtan1]

So how would you identify a shell cordovan if it's a brand new shoe since you can't see any micro creasing yet?

[@CobblerBob]

Bernard Tan - good question. If it’s a brand new shoe that is currently or recently in production, it should be easy bc you can look up the model # on the manufacturer’s website. If it’s an NOS (New Old Stock) that could be trickier. If it’s a Florsheim, Allen Edmonds, or Alden it should be easy to ID based on websites and/or info in the video (such as the “Genuine Horween Shell Cordovan” stamp on all Shell Cordovan AE’s). The only tricky scenario I see is an off brand (like Dexter, for example) NOS Shell shoe. But even many of those are documented on www.shellcordovanmodels.com.

[@bernardtan1]

@@CobblerBob I conclude she'll cordovan shoes can't be identified by eye alone. So there's no difference on how they look when still new compared to the cheaper leather. You will only appreciate a shell cordovan shoe when it gets older since no micro creasing can occur.

[@MillyRue]

I saved a site called shell cordovan models, it has a list of shoes by maker with numbers and description of shoes..

[@megaswenson]

Thanks! We just found that site, and bookmarked it. We're going through our shoe closets, and this will help immensely, when we're deciding what to keep.

[@johnparkerzabala]

Sir this is my first time to dye my leather shoes can I send you an email to show you the item? What where can I buy the dye color dark grey and what tools needed to apply it. Thanks regards God bless.

[@CobblerBob]

John Parker Zabala - my apologies for missing your comment!! You can get Fiebings alcohol based leather dye from eBay. It comes with a cotton dauber to apply it, although I have used an airbrush. Just make sure you’ve practiced on some shoes you can afford to ruin. Recoloring shoes is not necessarily an easy thing. It’s very permanent! The surface needs to be prepped properly too. I have several videos on dying shoes - go to my channel and browse them and watch the other videos first!!

[@jianhoang]

Hi sir... What about kid Leather.. I have a pair of loader it says made of kid Leather.. What do you think of the durability and quality?

[@CobblerBob]

larry lee - if I’m not mistaken kid leather, or kidskin is from a cow that is older than a calf, but not yet an adult. My understanding is it’s not as high-quality as calfskin. Belts are often made from it, as they do not need to be made from as high-quality leather.

[@excessemail2344]

I thought a kid was to a goat as a calf is to a cow.

[@jimd1617]

Great video! Im always searching for shell cordovan at thrift stores and estate sales. I bookmarked shellcordovanmodels.com and reference while out. Thanks for the tip on the green stitching on Florsheim Imperials! Have a great day :)

[@kpdiallo1111]

Good teaching!👍🏽

[@CobblerBob]

Glad it was helpful!

[@billdaniels1767]

I have noticed that a lot of people will call anything in color #8 cordovan.

[@Kevin-zf3sl]

On the VeTiVeR KZbin channel he spit shined Shell Cordovan with Saphir

[@CobblerBob]

Kevin - I know it CAN be spit shined, but a lot of the Shell owners say the spit shine won’t hold up. Since I don’t have any Shell shoes I wear to test this theory out I don’t want to say it’s fact bc I’m relying on what others on styleforum said.

[@freddieslaughter1107]

Horse hide is different from cow hide in it's feel.

[@CobblerBob]

Yes, although I've thrifted over a half dozen shell models, I don't have any I can wear. Stay tuned, I found a pair of shell vintage Florsheims size 12C that I plan on re-soling at home, as well as replacing the insole and widening myself. They will be a winter project as I'm still pulling together the materials.

[@JohnnyConcent]

Italy, Tuscany - $66/sqft Oct '19

[@mariomorales5103]

Wrong. WRONG!!!

[@JohnnyConcent]

@@mariomorales5103 why. LINKS!!

[@mariomorales5103]

@@JohnnyConcent WRANGGGGGGGGGGG. GEH.

[@JohnnyConcent]

@@mariomorales5103 What you say is meaningless. Back your opinion with arguments, please.

[@mariomorales5103]

@@JohnnyConcent exactly. Completely wrong.

[@paveloknowski1339]

Very educational ! but ,damn it , got tu buy new bunch of ,, horse butt" shoes !

[@edwardtang1977]

Cordovan creases are cheap looking.

[@CobblerBob]

Interesting! You’re obviously not a Shell fan..

[@DjFurrySTL]

Cordovan is not a color

[@CobblerBob]

Many would disagree with you: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordovan_(color)#:~:text=Cordovan%20is%20a%20rich%20shade,Visigoths%20in%20the%20seventh%20century. I don't personally like to use it to describe color, because it's too confusing with the material shell cordovan, but many people DO use the term to describe a burgundy color.

[@bill-nj6fc]

there shoes , not collector cars , lmao

[@megaswenson]

they're