**NOTE** I released a NEW UPDATED version of this video Jan 2023, which includes information on the DATE CODES many AE shoes have on the lining. Here's a link to it:
"ULTIMATE Dating Allen Edmonds Guide with DATE CODES!"
https://youtu.be/80hBLwFpBFo
In this video I show you how to determine the approximate manufacturing year of Allen Edmonds shoes, and I highlight a pair of Allen Edmonds Fifth Avenue quarter brogue cap toe Oxfords made in the 1980's that appear to have never been worn outside! I pulled most of my information from spending hours and hours of pouring over copies of Allen Edmonds catalogs available online. I tried to be as accurate as possible, but this got really complex and confusing, so I'm sure there are probably errors... I apologize in advance.
A viewer BTF9000 taught me something that has since been verified by others: Many Allen Edmonds shoes have a DATE CODE stamped onto the liner! They stopped doing this some time approximately in the 2000's or so though. Here's how to find and use it: There is always the Size (ie: "10" or "10-1/2" followed by the letter for the size, from AAAA, or 4A to EEE or 3E. There will be another number longer than 4 digits that has something to do with the manufacuring batch or something. Then there will be the 4 digit number for the shoe Model, usually followed by "COMB" (for combination last) followed by another 4 digit number. This 4 digit number is the date code.
- The first 2 digits are the WEEK that it was made. This number will be between 1-52.
- The 3rd digit is the day of the week and should be between 1-7.
- The 4th and final digit is the last digit of the YEAR in which it was produced. Therefore knowing what range of years the logo was used in, combined with the last digit of the year, you can narrow down what year it was made in to one or 2 years.
For example, a date code of 4233 would be the 42nd week, 3rd day of 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003, etc. If you knew the logo used on that shoe was from 1989 to 2012, it narrows it down to 1993, 2003.
Here is a link to download a free 5 page printable PDF file that I created with text and screencaps from the catalogs:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VUyoxylUy7C35RzdNWVjEoItsk88mbQW
Here are links to a couple videos I refer to:
"Saddle Soap: Why? What's in it?"
https://youtu.be/_4DH7-VTixE
"How To Tie Dress Shoes | Berluti Knot Method"
(Kirby Allison - The Hanger Project)
https://youtu.be/kXHemBywew4
The music is "Rise!" by Aq Xico, produced by Alegal, used with permission. Song is available on:
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/aqxico/rise
Youtube: https://youtu.be/SHQpBgz4oFI
Also available on iTunes