1980s–90s • Thieves Market for Larry Mahan • Pictorial Rodeo & Desert Inlay Boots • Women’s 8.5 B

1950s • FRYE • Tri-Color Western (Saddle/Chocolate/Bone) • Women’s 7.5

Why we love them

A clean mid-century Frye with that crisp tri-color collar and vine stitchwork—classic honky-tonk silhouette without the heavy graphics. The kind of pair that sells fast on look alone.

Spec Card

• Maker: FRYE (blue oval in-shaft stamp present)
• Era: 1950s (construction & styling cues)
• Upper: saddle-tan vamp & counter / chocolate shaft / bone scalloped collar
• Lining: full leather
• Construction: single-row welt, leather sole (period-correct pegging visible), stacked leather heel w/ later rubber top-lift
• Silhouette: narrow J-toe / medium cowboy heel (~1½–1¾”)
• Details: contrast piping, vine-pattern stitch, matching saddle pull tabs

Condition (7.5/10 – Vintage Good)

Supple uppers with honest wear: small toe scuffs, light crease at vamp, clean collars, edges burnished from use. Soles show normal forefoot darkening; heel caps are later replacements with plenty of life. No soft spots or open seams noted in hand.

Provenance / stamp

Blue FRYE oval maker’s stamp inside shaft; style code visible in ink (see photos). Period leather sole with pegging; stacked heel.

NB Notes

A light balm/brush will make that saddle vamp glow. Pairs perfectly with denim or prairie dresses—photographs beautifully on-body.

SKU: NB-FRYE-1950s-W7.5-TRICOLOR

1950s • Border-Boot Style • “Butterfly & Dogwood” Inlay Showboots • Women’s 9

Why We Love Them

Full-tilt mid-century graphics: white butterflies dotted in lipstick red, dogwood blossoms and green leaves floating on inky black shafts. Silver piping and a deep-V scallop frame the artwork.  

Spec Card

• Maker: Unknown Texas/Mexico shop (classic mid-century border-boot style)
• Model: “Butterfly & Dogwood” Inlay
• Era: 1950s
• Size: Women’s 9 (vintage last; runs a touch narrow in the instep)
• Upper: Black shafts with white/green/red multi-piece inlays; cream piping; deep-V scallops
• Vamp: Black leather with classic toe bug stitching
• Toe: Rounded snip
• Heel: Cowboy/riding heel, stacked leather with later rubber caps (~1½”)
• Lining: Full leather
• Construction: Stitched welt; leather soles
• Details: Repeating butterfly panels at quarters; dogwood blooms front and back—high contrast, camera-ready

The Story

Post-war bootmakers on both sides of the border pushed color and cut-outs into showboot territory. This pair nails that look—graphic inlays, crisp piping, and a silhouette made to be seen from the stage or the dance floor.

Nashville Booted Notes

Vintage B: supple uppers with honest creasing; toe scuffs and small edge nicks from real mileage; one shaft shows light surface line/crease; soles show wear but remain sound; heel caps are later replacements. Inlays are tight and stitching is secure. Conditioned and ready for their next set.

1990s • Dan Post • “Blue Birds” Inlay Boots • Women’s 8 M

Why We Love Them

Dan Post’s Blue Birds are a love letter to 1940s inlay art—swallows in flight, heart and floral cut-outs, all on a rich chestnut hide. They wear like true stage boots: light on the foot, big in presence, and easy to dress up or down.

Spec Card

• Maker: Dan Post
• Model: Blue Birds (multi-color inlay)
• Era: Late 1980s Early 90s
• Size: Women’s 8 M
• Shaft/Upper: Chestnut leather with robin’s-egg blue bird, red heart, and floral inlays; scalloped pull tabs
• Vamp: Matching chestnut leather with cut-out leaf motifs and decorative stitching
• Toe: Snip/pointed
• Heel: Western underslung (~1½”)
• Height: Approx. 10–11” shaft
• Lining: Full leather
• Outsole: Leather soles, stacked leather heels with rubber taps
• Construction: Welted
• Condition Notes: Honest vintage wear—toe scuffs, surface creasing, and patina throughout; soles show use but plenty of road left. Inlays are intact and secure.

The Story

Dan Post revived classic mid-century showboot graphics in the ‘90s, and the Blue Birds became an instant favorite. The swallow motif nods to luck and safe travels; the hearts and florals keep the look playful without losing its Western bite.

Nashville Booted Notes

Collector-grade pattern, wearable height, and a pointed profile that reads long and lean. Pair with a slip dress, raw denim, or stage blacks—these carry the outfit. If you’ve been hunting a graphic vintage boot under the four-figure custom tier, this is the sweet spot.

Repair 

I took these boots to Golden Boot cobbler on West End Ave here in Nashville where they sewed up a small area along the lining that I highlighted in a picture. These boots are solid and good to go for years to come and that’s our guarantee. 

1950s • JUSTIN • Floral Inlay Western • Women’s 5.5 M

Why we love them

A mid-century Justin masterpiece with chestnut vamps and chocolate shafts alive with floral inlays of cream and flame red. Bold without being flashy, this pair channels pure cowgirl expression from the golden era of Western style.

Spec Card

• Maker: Justin (period label, construction consistent with 1950s output)
• Era: 1950s (last shape, pegged sole, heel profile)
• Upper: chestnut leather vamp / chocolate shaft with multi-color inlays
• Lining: full leather
• Construction: stitched welt, leather outsole with pegging, stacked leather heel with nailed-on top lift
• Silhouette: mid-height shaft with V scallop, classic cowgirl heel, pointed toe
• Details: cream and red floral inlays, contrast stitch, pull points

Condition (7/10 – Vintage Good)

Soles show forefoot darkening and heel wear with life left; uppers show honest scuffs and patina consistent with age. No open seams, shafts stand tall, pulls intact. Structurally sound with decades of wear still ahead.

Provenance / Stamp

Leather outsole with visible pegging, stacked leather heel, period-correct construction details.

NB Notes

A touch of conditioner will enrich the chestnut vamps and bring extra depth to the inlays. Pair them with denim or a skirt and let the shafts do the talking — these are boots built to be seen.

SKU: NB-JUSTIN-1950s-W5.5M-FLORAL-INLAY

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