On the whole, American brands haven’t exactly earned a reputation for being expert shoemakers—bar perhaps the hardworking boots worn by cowboys or coal miners. Fine footwear has largely been left up to the experts across the pond, with cobblers in England and Italy turning out one sleek shoe after the next. But there are a few U.S. brands with history enough to hold their footing alongside labels like Frank Clegg and Mark Cross and are working to preserve the country’s leatherworking heritage—and Bostonian is one of them.