"Besides, they were too beautiful-the pair of pumps, so inexpressibly slim, the patent leathers with cloth tops, making water come into one's mouth, the tall brown riding boots with marvelous sooty glow, as if, though new, they had been
worn a hundred years."
The narrator describes how beautiful the Gessler shoes are in this passage, emphasizing how well-made they are. Indeed, Gessler uses rich imagery to describe the shoes, saying that they make "water come into one's mouth." Overall, this description is a testament to the high-quality nature of the Gessler shoes, and the purpose of this passage is to emphasize the craftsmanship and devotion that this small business put into their shoes.
"For to make boots-such boots as he made-seemed to me then, and still seems to me, mysterious and wonderful."
The narrator sees shoemaking as a craft and expresses his admiration for the Gessler brothers here. He suggests that one is instantly aware of how well-made these shoes are, and how much artistic talent is required to make them. This can be contrasted greatly with the larger corporation's shoes.
"Himself, he was a little as if made from leather, with his yellow crinkly face and crinkly reddish hair and beard."
Here, the narrator describes the older Gessler brother, depicting him as jolly and friendly. He is described as almost being made from leather himself, which emphasizes his connection to his art form.
