Vintage purplely[?] HorseHide

[Johnnynotoes]

I'm just wondering what it is that makes some 50s and earlier horsehide jacs appear to have almost a purple cast. Burgundy-ish???

I mean brown is brown but I have a couple of brown vintage with this hue and they're quite different in colour AND texture too it seems. The 'purple' ones seem to be more rain resistant and the hide not as pliable as regular horse from the same era. It must have been like wearing sheetrock when they were new. And they squeak like hell.

They are not dried out nor do they exhibit much wear or abuse. The leather is just...different. I'm wondering is it a particular tanning process? Perhaps a spray overcoat of some kind? Waterproofing treatment?

The leather on these jackets is pretty scuff-proof and seems to be more along the lines of rain resistant motorcycle leather. They have a spray overlaid for weather reasons. [well the proper ones anyway] Maybe a spray combined with a particular tanning process makes for the 'purplishness'?

I sound a wee bit obssessed about this because....It's the greatest leather I've ever seen!!

Please... if someone can at least acknowledge they've noticed this hue in some vintage HH leather. That alone will make me feel better! It ain't in mah haid...It ain't I tells yuh...I seen it! I SEEN IT!!

 

[TheSnark]

Shell cordovan?

 

[Johnnynotoes]

Shell cordovan maybe not but 'cordovan' as a colour description is apt. Shell cordovan is a different animal. Well, so to speak. So far I've never heard a jacket described as manufactured from shell cordovan. My 'purples' certainly are a thick hide though. They still had many to choose from in the waning years of HH availability/popularity when these were built. Ol' Dobbins day was pretty well over for common utility jackets by the early sixties.

I'll say "common' because they were likely seen as that in the day. Granted they weren't inexpensive but didn't see the price disparity with other shucks as we do now. Most of them, even the cheaper ones in the catalogues, were undoubtedly built to standards far beyond our 'common' leather jacs of today.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Yes. Many HH jackets were given that burgandy hue. I particularly recall those jackets by the Californian Leathergoods people. I think John Chapman makes that colour too in his repos. Jackets were dyed the very popular "russet" which is essentially a brown with red undertones.