Dr. Martens Japan identified my 30-year-old boots as model 7712 — but the mystery continues
This is my third post about this pair.
During a holiday break two months ago, I applied leather cream to this pair for the first time since I bought them 30 years ago.
Despite their age, they were still in remarkably good condition, which made me want to learn more about them. So I dug out the old magazine that I introduced in my second post.
After that, I searched extensively online, but I couldn’t find any information about this particular pair.
So I decided to contact Dr. Martens Japan directly.
I had heard that the company operating Dr. Martens in Japan had changed over the past 30 years, so to be honest, I contacted them without expecting too much.
But Dr. Martens Japan actually replied with information about this pair!
To summarize their response:
• This was a product released in the 1990s called the “7712 10 EYELET 2 BUCKLE BOOT.”
• It was also sold for a period of time through retailers in Japan.
• Because so many years have passed since it was released, very few records from that time still remain, and they apologized for not being able to provide more detailed information.
• They also kindly said that the boots were in very good condition and that they could tell how much I had cared for them, and they hoped I would continue enjoying Dr. Martens for many years to come.
Through my previous two posts, I received a huge amount of information from everyone here.
Thanks to your comments, I learned for the first time about models called the Caden and the Samuel. I also heard from people about similar boots being purchased in different parts of the world.
The information was fascinating, but I still couldn’t find a definitive clue about my particular pair.
Then, through the official response, I finally learned the model number: “7712.”
However, as mentioned in their response, Dr. Martens Japan no longer has much detailed information from that period.
So now, what I really want to find are clues about the “7712” model itself.
Does “7712” specifically refer to this configuration — a 10-eyelet boot with two buckle straps?
Or did a plain version of the “7712,” without the two buckle straps, also exist?
Old catalogs, advertisements, magazines, memories from when these were sold, or information from anyone who actually owned a pair — even the smallest clue would be greatly appreciated.
I still need your help.
Thank you!
About the photos:
Photo 1 shows the pair as they look today.
Photo 2 is the Dr. Martens Department Store in Covent Garden, London, photographed by me in November 2000.
Photos 3 and 4 show me travelling in Oxford with this same pair in April 2001.
I’ve also shared these four photos and more of the story behind this pair in a YouTube Short and an Instagram Reel linked in my profile. If you’re interested, please feel free to check them out.