Before The Reebok Pump There Was: The Fillmore Moore Pneumatic Insole 1893

Posted on January 28, 2012 by defynewyork

Per the United States Patent office, Fillmore Moore of Farmington Connecticut technically built the first inflatable shoe. The technology is described as a “rubber bag made air tight and provided at one end with a stem which encircles a steel tube which is turned at right angles and on the other end thereof is arranged an inflation valve which may be the same or substantially the same as that used for inflating footballs.” The patent goes on to say that “when the screw plug is turned so as to be lifted above the packing, air can be blow into and out of the bag.” It ends with “I claim a shoe having an elastic air tight bag between the insole and the outsole, a stem on the bag, an inflating tube and valve accessible for the purpose of inflation, the inflating valve and stem being located in a channel made in the upper side of the outsole at or near the instep of the shoe, substantially as set forth.” You can also check out a Reebok Patent for the Pump which Cites the Pneumatic sole first. With that said, we should thank our lucky feet that Reebok evolved Moore’s technology into the pump we know and love today.

Before The Jordan XI Concords There Was? Spats Footwear

Posted on December 27, 2011 by defynewyork

With all the hype surrounding the concord XI’s Re-Re-Retro dying down, now is the perfect time to take a look at the original “concord 11′s”, their called Spats. Spats (used today as a traditional accessory for marching bands) was a popular accessory in the earlier part of the 20th Century often symbolizing wealth or eccentricity and commonly worn by gangsters. They were usually worn over patent leather shoes and usually with very expensive suits. Check out the theatrical trailer below for Some Like It Hot and check out George Raft rocking some some Spats (his character was named “Spats” Colombo). For more info on Spats visit Spatzboots.com

O’Sullivan Rubber Company 1896

Posted on April 5, 2011 by defynewyork

In 1896 a printer named Humphrey O’Sullivan invented the rubber heel after he nailed a piece of rubber floor mat to the bottom of his shoes. After patenting his creation and a $25,000.00 investment, the O’Sullivan Rubber Company was born. Humphrey eventually retired from printing and the O’Sullivan Rubber Company branched out to the production of vinyl sheeting . If you want to read more about the O’Sullivan Rubber Company visit SCRIPOPHILY.

So recently I came across a piece of O’Sullivan History. If you check out the video below, its an original salesman sample for O’Sullivan’s rubber heel. I’ve been told that the heel was discovered in a home somewhere in Wisconsin that had been sealed since 1910 (until recently) due to a family trust issue. There is no date on the heel but maybe a current or former employee could verify the date of this gem. For now, get your history lesson on with the video, ads, and picture below.