Post by sherigraf on Feb 13, 2007 14:27:28 GMT -5
What is a "Pony Skin" foal?
A pony skin foal is a nurse mare foal born so a mare can provide milk to the thoroughbred foals born for racing. It is illegal to send foals under six months of age to the slaughterhouse, so these foals, from one day up to six months old are skinned for high end leather products.
Cordovan leather = fine leather named after Cordoba Spain.
Genuine shell cordovan is rare. Most leathers come from cows, but cordovan comes from horses (which are not, by the way, raised for this purpose). The “shell”, and let me put this as delicately as possible, is the subcutaneous layer that covers the equine posterior. Each horse provides two shells, which is just enough for a pair of shoes. A single shell isn’t long enough to form a seamless belt, so genuine shell cordovan belts will always be pieced. The most non-porous leather known, shell cordovan is distinguished by its lustrous waxy finish, superior durability, and suppleness that readily conforms to the shape of the wearer’s foot.
Cordovan is a corruption of Cordoba, the city in southern Spain where the technique of tanning this leather originated. Even today high volume production and fancy technology are powerless in its manufacture. Old school handwork is what gets the job done. The shells are put through a natural, vegetable tanning process, then hand-stained, glazed, and finished over a six-month period that demands the measured pace of craftsmanship and patience. Genuine shell cordovan is a leather with characer. It is known for taking on a rich patina that improves with wear and polishing. And tough as, well, a horse's butt. (Taken directly from www.bensilver.com/style04/styleguide_link4.html)
A pony skin foal is a nurse mare foal born so a mare can provide milk to the thoroughbred foals born for racing. It is illegal to send foals under six months of age to the slaughterhouse, so these foals, from one day up to six months old are skinned for high end leather products.
Cordovan leather = fine leather named after Cordoba Spain.
Genuine shell cordovan is rare. Most leathers come from cows, but cordovan comes from horses (which are not, by the way, raised for this purpose). The “shell”, and let me put this as delicately as possible, is the subcutaneous layer that covers the equine posterior. Each horse provides two shells, which is just enough for a pair of shoes. A single shell isn’t long enough to form a seamless belt, so genuine shell cordovan belts will always be pieced. The most non-porous leather known, shell cordovan is distinguished by its lustrous waxy finish, superior durability, and suppleness that readily conforms to the shape of the wearer’s foot.
Cordovan is a corruption of Cordoba, the city in southern Spain where the technique of tanning this leather originated. Even today high volume production and fancy technology are powerless in its manufacture. Old school handwork is what gets the job done. The shells are put through a natural, vegetable tanning process, then hand-stained, glazed, and finished over a six-month period that demands the measured pace of craftsmanship and patience. Genuine shell cordovan is a leather with characer. It is known for taking on a rich patina that improves with wear and polishing. And tough as, well, a horse's butt. (Taken directly from www.bensilver.com/style04/styleguide_link4.html)
