Help Identifying this leather

[djd1230]

I hope someone can identify this leather / skin.  It was used to trim the interior of an Italian sports car from the 1960's.  It is used on the instrument panel, top of dash, shift boot and some parts of the center console.

- The surface is "bumpy" or textured.

- VERY thin - about 0.010" / .25mm.  It is bonded to a cloth material for support.

- No repeatable pattern noticed - even in the larger areas.

Pictures attached. Thanks,

Dennis

[nstarleather]

Hard to say for sure but it looks a lot like “shrunken grain bison”:

 

EDDDB742-420B-41F5-B56E-8A95485EA687.webp

Edited August 10, 2022 by nstarleather

[djd1230]

Thank you Mike,

You're right it does look very similar.  The leather layer is very thin.  ("Bison" sounds like it should be thick.)  Perhaps it was shaved thin and bonded to cloth so it would be tough but flexible?

I'll try to find suppliers and see what they have to say.  Any suggestions on suppliers?

Dennis

 

[Garyak]

5 hours ago, djd1230 said:

I hope someone can identify this leather / skin.  It was used to trim the interior of an Italian sports car from the 1960's.  It is used on the instrument panel, top of dash, shift boot and some parts of the center console.

- The surface is "bumpy" or textured.

- VERY thin - about 0.010" / .25mm.  It is bonded to a cloth material for support.

- No repeatable pattern noticed - even in the larger areas.

Pictures attached. Thanks,

Dennis

Since there’s a teat involved, bison/ water Buffalo. My first thought was shark, but then the boob…. 

[djd1230]

If you're referring to the hole in the second picture - at around the 4.5" measurement - that is just a hole in the material for a control knob to pass thru.

I thought shark looked similar also.....

Bison or shark?  How could two such different animals have skin that looks similar!

Dennis

[nstarleather]

35 minutes ago, djd1230 said:

If you're referring to the hole in the second picture - at around the 4.5" measurement - that is just a hole in the material for a control knob to pass thru.

I thought shark looked similar also.....

Bison or shark?  How could two such different animals have skin that looks similar!

Dennis

Shark looks a lot like that too texture-wise.  Any leather can be split to be thin…knowing the approximate size might help too.

google both bison, water Buffalo and shark then compare pictures.

[fredk]

What make of Italian car? That would help find where the leather came from. Eg, Ferrari only uses Swedish leather as the Swedes do not use barbed wire fencing, there are no animal ticks there so their leather is always much cleaner of imperfections and more even in look. Maserati uses Italian and Egyptian leathers. Fiat uses Italian, other European and Libyan leathers

Edited August 11, 2022 by fredk

[djd1230]

The vehicle is a low volume car called an "Italia".  Hand made by a company in Turin, Italy called Intermeccanica.

The largest piece I have is the top of the dash panel.  It is about 52" / 130cm long x 14" / 35cm wide. 

[fredk]

Turin is the base for Fiat, Fiat built Ferraris, Abarth and so many other specialised car builders

I'd suggest your leather is water buffalo from North Africa

[chuck123wapati]

the company is still in business you may have to contact them. very cool company and hand made cars. Good luck!!! ONe badass car!!

https://www.supercars.net/blog/1968-intermeccanica-italia-spyder/

[Tequila]

@Garyak  here’s one source that I’ve used.  Montana Leather

Also Buckleguy has smaller hides from Buffalo Calf.  Korba Buffalo

[djd1230]

Thanks everyone for your input on this.

It may be simpler than I thought.  A knowledgeable supplier suggested it may be just milled (dry tumbled) cowhide.  Looking at samples on line confirms it could be this simple.

Regards,

Dennis