Is this a shell cordovan belt?

[rnoldh]

Title is self explanatory.

I have a Crookhorn belt. That's a heck of a name, isn't it. But they are a good company that used to make the belts for Allen Edmonds.

Anyway, I've always thought that it's shell cordovan. On the inside of the belt it says:

"36/90 Shell Cordovan GENUINE LEATHER HANDMADE IN THE USA 91008"

Here are pictures:

As you can see, it says "Shell Cordovan", and then "Genuine Leather". I'm thinking that the underside of the belt is the genuine leather and the fascia is shell cordovan. It sure looks like it and the quality is excellent.

The only thing that seems strange is that I don't see any seams on the belt. I've heard that it's very rare or almost impossible to make a seamless shell cordovan belt. Perhaps this is horse hide which I believe is similar to shell cordovan but is different than the actual membrane that is shell cordovan. But it specifically says "shell cordovan", and Crookhorn is a good belt maker.

Well, I've always heard that if it looks like a Duck, quacks like a Duck, and tastes like a Duck then it's probably a Duck.

I'm pretty sure that this is a shell cordovan belt but does anyone have a knowledgeable opinion on this?

Thanks in advance!

 

[robin]

Yes, it looks like cordovan. You can't tell by bending it? The inside looks to be calf though.

It is also possible to get a long piece of cordovan suitable for a one piece belt by taking hide from along the sides of the legs around the backside of the horse. If you search back in the styleforum archive there's actually a very funny thread where the same question came up, and distressed forum members were able to get store managers to make phone calls all the way up to the heads of Horween, Alden, and Allen Edmonds to settle it.

 

[Fishball]

Where to got one, it look great.
How much is it, BTW.

If they are real shell, they will be very expensive. Since you have to use the largest shell to cut out at lease 39 inch to make a 36 inch belt in the middle of the shell. It is very diffcult to get a shell large than 32in. So they are very rare.

 

[rnoldh]

Originally Posted by robin

Yes, it looks like cordovan. You can't tell by bending it? The inside looks to be calf though.

It is also possible to get a long piece of cordovan suitable for a one piece belt by taking hide from along the sides of the legs around the backside of the horse. If you search back in the styleforum archive there's actually a very funny thread where the same question came up, and distressed members were able to get store managers to make phone calls all the way up to the heads of Horween, Alden, and Allen Edmonds to settle it.

Thanks, I'd love to see the thread you refer to.

Yes, of course, I agree that the exterior would be shell cordovan and the inside calf. I'm not familiar with "The bend test".

Crookhorn is a pretty reputable company, so I was wondering if they would stamp "shell cordovan" on one of their belts if it was not genuine (shell cordovan from the horse butt membrane). That doesn't seem likely.

BTW: I think I found the thread here on AAAC. about shell cordovan belts. My belt is just like the Alden belt referred to here at shoemart and not like the flimsy Ben Silver belt.

 

[johnny_flapjack]

I think by bending it he's referring to the difference in how shell wrinkles vs how calf wrinkles. If you bend it backwards (outside in) you should be able to either see or not see fine wrinkles that you would associate with calfskin. I guess.

If I remember the last thread correctly, the issue was with horsehide belts that are not technically shell cordovan being called shell cordovan. I don't know enough to stand on one side of that argument since I'm not a vet or a taxidermist or a tanner, but that was the issue as I remember it.

 

[robin]

Originally Posted by johnny_flapjack

If I remember the last thread correctly, the issue was with horsehide belts that are not technically shell cordovan being called shell cordovan.
Yes, I think that was it. It was a different membrane or some such.

 

[rnoldh]

Originally Posted by johnny_flapjack

I think by bending it he's referring to the difference in how shell wrinkles vs how calf wrinkles. If you bend it backwards (outside in) you should be able to either see or not see fine wrinkles that you would associate with calfskin. I guess.

If I remember the last thread correctly, the issue was with horsehide belts that are not technically shell cordovan being called shell cordovan. I don't know enough to stand on one side of that argument since I'm not a vet or a taxidermist or a tanner, but that was the issue as I remember it.

Originally Posted by robin

Yes, I think that was it. It was a different membrane or some such.

I'm now sure that it is shell cordovan and very similar to the Alden version.

I believe this is the Alden shell cordovan belt that it is most similar to.

And here is the relevant AAAC thread about shell cordovan belts.

 

[JLibourel]

A one-piece shell cordovan belt in size 36 would be very extraordinary these days. Shell cordovan belts are customarily laminated to sturdier leathers. (Mine is laminated to horsehide.) If the back looks like calfskin, that doesn't mean a thing. The facing could still be shell. The size and one-piece construction make me very, very suspicious, however.

 

[RIDER]

Not technically SC....is made from the hips.

Crookhorn went out of business last year, btw.

 

[Fishball]

rnoldh,

Pls check your PM.