Well-crafted boots can last for decades.
Finding a vintage pair of western boots can make the heart beat faster. Vintage western boots have become popular, with celebrities like Jessica Simpson buying them. Knowing the age of western boots can add to your pleasure and help you identify their value. Generally older boots are more valuable. Many western boots were custom made, so each pair is different. Still there are similarities that can help you date the boots.
Instructions
1. Identify the boot's leather. Most western boots are made from cowhide, but many exotic leathers including alligator, ostrich, and frog are used. If the boots are made from a banned leather (like elephant), research when the leather was banned to correctly date the boots.
2. Research the maker. Knowing who crafted the boots will help you know their age. U.S. boot makers often stamped their names inside the leather on the shaft. Today's boots may carry cloth labels.
3. Look closely at the toes. Toe wrinkles did not appear until around 1900, and toe bugs were not around until 1915. Earlier boots will not have these features.
4. Notice heel and toe styles. Extreme pointed toes did not appear until the late 1940s and 1950s. Ropers (working boots with a low heel, rounded toe, and short shaft) where first manufactured in the 1950s.
5. Look to see how many pieces the boots were made from. Hollywood boots or tejas (1930s and 1940s) were made from three pieces of leather with a seam up the back of the shaft.
