Rubber boot/shoe soles

[Tyler Underwood]

I found this while going reading through my original copy of the Country Gentleman dated February 19, 1863.

Cement for India Rubber Soles

Messer's. Editors - Will you or some of the readers of The Cultivator, tell me how to put rubber soles on leather boots? How is the cement made? J.E.P

The cement is manufactured and sold in market to shoe makers in tin boxes, probably much cheaper and better than it could be made by retail. We do not know the process.

I did a search on the forum with no luck. I turned up some information using Google about the Liverpool Rubber Company in England manufacturing the first rubber soled shoe in the 1830's But has anyone ever read anything about the practice of applying India rubber on shoe soles before? Any guess on how common this may have been?

[Mike_Schramm]

Re: Rubber boot/shoe soles

Goodyear was offering rubber soling (by the pound) and repair cement on pg 52 of their 186- catalog

http://archive.org/stream/manualpricelist00good#page/52/mode/2up

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Rubber boot/shoe soles

Mike, thanks for the link I have never seen this before.

[Mutt]

Re: Rubber boot/shoe soles

Tyler,

Not any help to your seeking out more info on rubber shoes, but a "thank you" for mentioning "The Country Gentleman" as your resources. I popped it into Google Books, which has several volumes of them. Found some neat stuff!

Update: No sooner to a make the statement that I cna't be of help, then I am browsing another "Country Gentleman" and come across "India-rubber shoes"! http://books.google.com/books?id=guU...rubber&f=false

If it doesn't pop up, search "rubber" within the book and you'll find it.

Best,

[Mutt]

Re: Rubber boot/shoe soles

Hi, yet again!

Here's a really neat one: http://books.google.com/books?id=zv4...0shoes&f=false

VERY cool info!

Best,

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Rubber boot/shoe soles

Matthew, thanks for the links, they have some great info.

The Country Gentleman has a lot of great reads in them, you would be amazed at what you learn about farming from the period.

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Rubber boot/shoe soles

The last time I was at the Arabia, they had an interesting selection of rubber overshoes, as well as rubber shoes for wear on their own. Unfortunately, I don't have any images to share (never had much luck taking any there.)

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Rubber boot/shoe soles

I have really got to make the trip out to see the Arabia. I feel so left out by not having been there.

Hopefully someone on here that does have some pictures of the shoes will read this thread and share their pictures.

[Mutt]

Re: Rubber boot/shoe soles

Google is a wonderful thing! http://eccentricitiesantiques.blogsp...at-arabia.html
Scroll down to find the shoes. Not sure if which type of shoes these are, I'd guess overshoes by their design.

Best,