Blundstone Footwear

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Blundstone elastic sided boots

Blundstone Footwear is an Australian footwear manufacturer, based in Hobart, Tasmania. The company's best-known product is its line of laceless, elastic-sided, ankle-length boots. The official name for this product line is "The Original", although the boots are colloquially known as "Blunnies" in Australia. The boots have an iconic status in Australia and around the world to rival that of England's "Doc Martens".

1 History
2 Trivia
3 References
4 External links

[edit] History

The Blundstone company originated from companies set up by several free settlers, who emigrated from England to Tasmania.

John and Eliza Blundstone arrived in Hobart Town from Derbyshire, England on 14 October 1855. John Blundstone worked as a coachbuilder until 1870, when he began importing footwear from England later manufacturing boots in Hobart's Liverpool Street. By 1892, Blundstone's eldest son, Sylvanus, had joined him in business, and the pair formed J. Blundstone & Son, manufacturing boots in two outlets on Collins Street, later buying a purpose-built two story factory on Campbell Street. The company's importation arm was run by John's other son, William, as W.H. Blundstone & Co.

Both companies initially prospered, but at the turn of the century, they found themselves in financial difficulty. J. Blundstone & Son was bought in 1901 by the Cane family of ironmongers, and W.H. Blundstone & Co. went bankrupt in 1909. The Canes ran the company until the Great Depression in Australia caused a downturn in profits, which once again saw the company sold. The buyers were two brothers: James and Thomas Cuthbertson, also English settlers who set out for Melbourne, but were apparently blown off course by the Roaring Forties and landed in Hobart instead in 1853, where they had also set up a shoemaking and importing business.

The Cuthbertson brothers set about amalgamating their companies' manufacturing operations, retaining the Blundstone name for the company's tannery in South Hobart, and the current factory and headquarters in Moonah.

[edit] Trivia

Blundstone has released many series during its existence, all given a 3-digit label, to give their boots an authentic and “will-be-remembered” touch. (Like Levi's 501s, Roland TR-808).^{[citation needed]}
Somewhere around the 1990s, Blundstone stopped producing the hard PVC sole, slowly changing all the typically dread-patterned boots with the more soft PSP, and later PSF2 system, for extra shock absorbing.^{[citation needed]}
Blundstone's biggest success was the 504/505 (PVC sole) but were later replaced with the 500 (with PSP system) , However the “old” 504/505 models are still used by roof-workers for their unique fit and good grip.^{[citation needed]}
Underdog style, but heavily searched for by many collectors is the 803 (“The protector” from before 1994. It has a unique dread-pattern, combined with the hard, original PVC sole, slightly rounded at the rear of the sole and leather craftsmanship on the inside of the boot instead of the newer materials used after approximately 1994. Current market value is estimated around US $500 (new in box).^{[citation needed]}