Is this horsehide?

[Giorgiogrande]

Hey everyone, wanted to ask a second thought on this jacket of mine, I always thought it was horsehide but i'd like another thought on it! Thanks in advance

 

[Aloysius]

It looks like a nice jacket but there's no way to tell the animal from this photo.

 

[cbez]

I'd lean towards no but there's overlap between hh and cowhide where they can be pretty indistinguishable.

 

[Giorgiogrande]

It looks like a nice jacket but there's no way to tell the animal from this photo.

i guess you're right. But it's very robust and heavy, folding marks are really visible, there's a strong leather odor that I connect to horse leather and it has a lucid finish. All of those point to a horsehide leather

 

[Alfonzo Von Doom]

Cant tell for sure from the pics you’ve posted, but i would lay odds that its’s not, for several reasons:

1. Not seeing hh under Nuvolari, or Pele or Artigiano branding that I see readily available.

2. Comparing your pics against known jackets I own, the creasing and surface looks closest to sheepskin when I compare it to sheepskin, horsehide, goatskin and cowhide examples.

3. follicle spacing in the pics, and the leather coloration where it‘s worn gives me clues as to the processing and hide choice.

4. stitching, detailing etc. looking at the split panel on the back, and the way the liner is attached, gives me clues as to who this jacket was marketed to, and i’m not seeing anything that would suggest this was being marketed to someone who would be seeking horsehide.

5. Horsehide is a lot less common in jackets of this era, and when it’s used its typically a noteworthy addition that adds price, and tends to be prominently noted on the gatment.

this looks to me like a mid-grade jacket made in the late 90s early 2000s made from top grain unsanded sheepskin with a pretty standard dye treatment and economical tanning and manufacturing processes.

Horsehide would be an atypical selection for such. Im 80% that it’s sheepskin 10% goatskin 8% that its cowhide and 2% horsehide. If i’m second guessing i would raise the percentage of sheepskin, which is really the most common hide for jackets of this type.


it’s a nice looking jacket, take what I said for what it’s worth (random free opinion on the internet) but that’s my best guess.

 

[cbez]

The pores don't look like hh to me either.

I'm changing my vote to sheep it makes me think of ll sheepskin

 

[Bennarion]

I suspect it's not horsehide. Judging by the pores on the leather, it's probably pig

 

[Monitor]

It is buffalo. Or water buffalo more precisely, since a lot of this leather is derived from the Middle East and South Asia. Well, this used to be so, at least as buffalo leather has seen a sharp decline in popularity in recent decade for whatever reason. Could be wars, though...

I personally love it a lot. Much better choice for clothes than cowhide. Even though it is almost always comparatively thin, it never feels flimsy and it has a beautiful sheen to it. It holds shape well, too.

It's a shame virtually none of the top tier makers work with it. You'll only find mall cheapos and mid-range motorcycle jackets from the 2000's made in it.

This jacket is very nice, though!

 

[cbez]

It does remind me of my whites water buffalo. altho mine doesn't have pores but they could have sanded it.

 

[Giorgiogrande]

Thanks to everyone for the thoughts. I would also point the the jacket is stiff and heavy and it almost hurt if you wear it for a lot of time.

 

[Monitor]

It does remind me of my whites water buffalo. altho mine doesn't have pores but they could have sanded it.
View attachment 676601

They've definitely used the "better" part of the skin for your shoes. I had quite a few biker jackets and trousers made from it and they all had follicles much more far apart, as on the OP's jacket.

It is a fantastic leather but I can only imagine how crudely tanned but regardless, in my experience, the cheapest of the cheapos that was made from water buffalo hide looked like a high end jacket.

My favorite and most long lasting jacket that I got is made from water buffalo.

 

[Canuck Panda]

I also think it's water buffalo. They're pretty good hide imo. I found some nice ones on Tandy but too thick for garment and if I had it split down the overall cost would be too high.
https://tandyleather.com/products/water-buffalo-leather?variant=31977112862851

 

[Alfonzo Von Doom]

Uhh guys?

That’s not water buffalo. It’s not sheep or goat, or cow, or even pig….

it’s HUMAN!!!!!

 

[Will Zach]

^^
From Jame Gumb Leather Company?