When it comes to the shoe industry, many things were different in the first half of the 20th century. Industrialization in the 19th century had made it possible to manufacture shoes on a large scale, and in fact every industrialized country had a large shoe industry. Especially with two world wars taking place, each country needed its own production for essentials like shoes (and countries that did not participate in the war were exported to countries that did). Even the Depression could not hinder the development of major shoe industries in the West.
In Sweden, the shoe industry was at its peak in the late 1930s and early 1940s, with 250 factories in the country, which at the time had a population of just over 6 million. Half of the factories were located in Örebro province. One of the most important players was Oscaria, which in the 1940s had approximately 2,000 employees in three factories, two tanneries and 285 shoe stores throughout Sweden.
After this, things changed drastically and quickly. In the 1950s, Sweden imported 5% of the shoes sold – ten years later more than 50% were imported, mainly from the Far East. Oscaria was one of the last factories to close in Sweden, but in 1968 it was sold to the international company Bata, and in 1971 they moved the remaining production abroad. The last decades that the brand existed they sold some pretty crappy cemented stuff.
The closing department of Oscaria’s Örebro factory. Photo: Knut Borg – Örebro County Museum / Digital Museum
One of Oscaria’s nearly 300 stores. Image: Digital Museum
Fast forward to 2025, I’m making my annual trip to Japan, and this round I had time to go to Koenji again, where there is a huge amount of vintage clothing stores, some of which also specialize in vintage shoes. Some stores are absolutely great, like Whistler/Chart, two stores next to each other with the same owner. Literally thousands of vintage shoes can be found here (plus vintage clothing), many American but also a lot of stuff from other parts of the world.
As I was browsing one of the stores looking for longwings in my size, I placed my tote bag on the floor. As I bent down to pick up the bag, I noticed a brown boot slightly tucked away on the floor. I picked it up and was delighted to see that it was an old Oscaria boot. I noticed the condition looked great and realized it had never been worn (quite rare in these stores, most are properly used shoes). Then I saw the size, UK11, in K width (K used to be sometimes used for Extra Wide, M was very wide, but not so common these days). I’m normally a UK11. Wide.
A small part of one of Whistler/Chart’s vintage shoe stores in Koenji.
Boots that are 80 years old, never worn, only tried on.
I tried them on and they fit very well, which is rare for me with RTW shoes as I need a wider fit. What are the chances? First just the chance that I would discover these a bit hidden on the floor, and then that they came from Sweden, from the town where my grandmother grew up in the first half of the 20th century, unused, and that they were just right in terms of size? Of course I had to buy them. The price was $230, which is reasonable considering how rare the boot is, even if it’s not something that’s very popular.
The store staff wasn’t sure, but estimated the boots were from the 1940s. After doing some research on the look, logos and heels used etc, that’s what I found. And finally I asked the shoemakers at Björkmans Skomakeri here in Sweden with two guys who have great knowledge of Swedish shoe history, one of whom worked in the Swedish Shoe Museum, and they also said that they would most likely be from the 1940s.
A functional form.
Both the sole and other parts of the shoe show dents and marks that have occurred over the years, some in the box and some probably from trying on. But as is clear, they were never used.
The pair is a classic derby boot style, with a very wide and high toe. The leather is dyed dark brown aniline, probably from one of their own tanneries here in Sweden. You can tell from the leather that it is old, but still in good condition, and after I thoroughly conditioned it and polished it with some shoe cream, it looks and feels very nice. They are Goodyear-welted, have leather soles with an open channel, the stitching on the edge is also channeled and then roughly pleated. These are functional, sturdy, quality shoes, but certainly not refined in any way.
As a Swede, I love the rubber heel piece with the brand “Elg”, which means moose in Swedish, and with a pictured moose. Beautiful things. My intention is to attach a rubber topy to the sole (where I live in Sweden it’s not really suitable with leather soles on boots) and then have these as my boots for next year’s Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome. I’m really looking forward to wearing them and seeing how the leather holds up and ages. Some may think it’s stupid to wear nice, old, unused shoes like these, but for me, shoes are meant to be worn. Coincidentally, it took 80 years for this couple to find the right owner.
The sole stitch is hidden in a channel on the edge, and then you have the fairly coarse fudging.
It is clearer to see from the shafts that the leather is quite old.
At the time, many shoes had a fabric lining as standard. One of the things that are better about quality footwear these days is that they are almost always lined with leather.
High toe box.
The rubber top of the moose heel.
Soon Oscaria.
Back with leather pull tab.
Asymmetrical toe shape. This makes both functional.
The shaft is quite wide to make room for a thick tongue with inserts.
#Report #Oscaria #1940s #vintage #boots #Shoegazing.com