Vintage 1950s German Horsehide Leather Motorcycle Jacket, RIES Zippers

This is an original 1950s German motorcycle jacket, made from exceptionally heavy black horsehide and fitted with period RIES zipper hardware. It comes from a fascinating period in German motorcycle history, when machines from BMW, NSU, DKW and Zündapp were still everyday transport for huge numbers of riders. Before modern technical riding clothing, protection relied heavily on substantial leather, secure fastenings and a practical cut, and this jacket is a particularly impressive example of that approach.

The horsehide is the first thing you notice when handling it. It is remarkably heavy, firm and dense, retaining tremendous structure through the shoulders and body after more than seventy years. Deep creases have settled into the sleeves, while the black surface has rubbed naturally around the collar, pocket edges, seams and hem. Scratches and smaller marks remain throughout. The jacket has clearly been worn, but beneath that surface the hide remains exceptionally strong. It is this contrast between a heavily lived-in exterior and the formidable leather underneath that gives the jacket so much character.

The front is built around a substantial RIES zipper, accompanied by four secure zipped pockets, two horizontal across the chest and another pair angled towards the waist. The relatively short body works naturally in a seated riding position, while the high-closing front and substantial pointed collar provide useful coverage around the neck. Around the waist is an unusual full leather belt arrangement, originally designed to travel around the jacket and pass through a buckle at either side of the back. Both rear buckles were removed many years ago, with the surrounding wear showing this to be a longstanding alteration. We have left the surviving belt arrangement exactly as found rather than attempting to recreate hardware that has been absent for decades.

Inside, the faded blue-grey cloth lining carries several old stitched repairs around the armhole and upper body. These are straightforward historical repairs that appear to have been in place for many years. Rather than disguise them, we have left them as part of the jacket's working history. They are evidence of a substantial piece of leather clothing that somebody considered worth repairing and continuing to wear.

Today, the jacket survives much as you would hope to find an old German motorcycle jacket: not untouched, but honest. Its period RIES hardware, unusual belted construction, remarkable horsehide, old repairs and decades of genuine wear remain together, giving it an individuality that a cleaner example simply would not possess.

Condition & Restoration

Very good vintage condition for an original 1950s German motorcycle jacket with considerable genuine period wear. The exceptionally heavyweight horsehide remains strong and structurally sound, retaining its characteristically firm, dense handle and substantial body.

There is established creasing, rubbing, scratching and surface wear throughout, particularly around the collar, pocket edges, seams and hem. The original full leather waist belt remains present, although the two rear buckles through which it originally passed were removed many years ago. This is a longstanding alteration and the surrounding leather has naturally worn accordingly. Internally, the blue-grey cloth lining shows age and carries several old stitched repairs around the armhole and upper body. All significant areas of wear are represented in the photographs.

The jacket has been specialist leather cleaned and conditioned in-house. As part of the restoration, the original zipper hardware has been carefully freed, refurbished and waxed to improve ease of operation while retaining the original components. Our work has been deliberately restrained, preserving the original surface, structure and established character of the horsehide.

Key Features

• Original 1950s German motorcycle jacket
• Exceptionally heavyweight black horsehide
• Firm, dense and highly structured hide
• Period RIES zipper hardware
• Heavy RIES centre-front zipper
• Four secure zipped front pockets
• Twin horizontal chest pockets
• Twin angled lower pockets
• High-closing front
• Substantial pointed collar
• Short practical riding cut
• Original full leather waist belt
• Unusual wraparound belt construction
• Twin rear belt positions
• Original rear belt buckles historically removed
• Blue-grey cloth lining
• Historical interior repairs
• Extensive genuine period wear

Garment Measurements, Laid Flat

• Chest, armpit to armpit: 22.5"
• Shoulders, seam to seam: 19"
• Shoulder seam to cuff: 26"
• Underarm seam to cuff: 18"
• Back length, base of collar to hem: 28

Recommended fit: 40 regular chest size.

For the best indication of fit, please compare the measurements above with a similar jacket you already own.