Shell Cordovan Wallet - Page 2

Just a reminder to anyone reading this conversation, Shell cordovan is horse hide, not calf. Its only horse. Specifically the butt and no other part of the hide. Horween of Chicago sources its horse butt hide from Europe where the horse is still raised for food. It is processed in the USA, the rest of their Chromexcel leather is cow hide sourced from the USA. There are other processors in other countries that process shell cordovan and the rest of the horse hide for other items. I read that Peru raises horse for leather goods as well and that Japan is a heavy consumer of horse hide leather goods.

Anyway if you want a Shell Cordovan Wallet or belt check out Coronado Leather in San Diego, Simple and good. They use Horween's shell cordovan and chromexcel cow hide. www.coronadoleather.com

Cool site. It doesn't look like they have any cordovan wallet's for sale, just cxl and bison.  But, they have some great prices.  Thanks

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Originally Posted by Teacher 

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Originally Posted by tattersall

I picked up a BB shell belt and it's not that great - made in some dodgy place like Canada. I'd stick with Alden for shell accessories.

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Originally Posted by Wrenkin

The list of non-dodgy places apparently gets smaller every day.

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Originally Posted by Bic Pentameter

I would be careful about cordovan in Japan. I have seen cordovan sold there that looks like it has been sprayed with a plastic coating, something a bit like what happens to corrected grain leather....I think it was called "wet cordovan" "drip cordovan?" or something like that. Takeya, a Japanese discounter that I love, has cordovan that just does not look right to me. If you are in Tokyo, you should go look at Lakota House to see if you note any difference between what you see at Suzuwaya and the Horween cordovan wallets on offer there.

If I remember correctly, RIDER was the one who wrote about seeing and testing samples from both the Japanese company and Horween (if it wasn't RIDER, sorry whoever it was). The reviewer said that the Japanese shell was both a little thinner and shinier; it was also a bit more water resistant. I'm not sure this is a sign of its being lower in quality, just different.

To answer the the OP´s questions, yes Cordovan ages over time and develops a nice patina. I have read the the same concerning the differences between Japanese Cordovan and the Horween Shell Cordovan. I could just recommend for belts as well as wallets to go for solid quality.

I just ordered  a shell cordovan wallet from Coronado. Just call and place an order by phone the website is being updated with new catalog items soon. They are making the number 1 and 6 wallets and the card case for sure. I was told a new wallet is being introduced this fall.