Stunning Vtg 50s HUB SCHNEIDER'S Horsehide Leather CHP POLICE Motorcycle Jacket
Vintage Hub Schneider's CHP Leather Motorcycle Jacket
This striking black leather motorcycle jacket was advertised as a vintage California Highway Patrol (CHP) police jacket from approximately the 1950s, by The Hub – Schneider's of Oakland. The original seller described it as stunning inside and out, with very minimal wear, a beautiful patina and exceptional-quality leather.
Although the original title identifies the leather as horsehide, the description states horsehide or steerhide. The precise hide type was therefore not confirmed in the supplied listing.
Features
- Black leather with a vintage patina.
- Two zipped pockets.
- Belt loops.
- Side tassels.
- Zipped cuffs.
- Serval main zipper; all other zippers described as Talon.
- Collared neckline and hip-length cut.
Size and measurements
The jacket was described as Medium/Large, with an estimated chest fit of 40–42 inches. No size label was available, so please check the measurements rather than relying solely on the estimated size.
The following approximate measurements and their metric equivalents are reproduced as supplied by the seller:
- Underarm to underarm: 22.5 inches / 57 cm, measured at the front.
- Underarm seam to cuff: 17 inches / 44 cm, measured at the front.
- Shoulder to cuff: 24.5 inches / 62 cm, measured at the front.
- Across the shoulders: 19.5 inches / 50 cm, measured at the back.
- Front length, excluding the collar: 25 inches / 63 cm. The original description calls this the measurement from the nape of the neck to the hem, taken at the front.
- Back length, top to bottom, excluding the collar: 25 inches / 63 cm, measured at the back.
Item details
- Chest size: Med/Lrg; approximately 40–42 inches according to the seller.
- Brand: Hub Schneiders.
- Style: Biker jacket.
- Main colour: Black.
- Material: Leather; described as horsehide or steerhide.
- Length: Hip length.
- Neckline: Collared.
- Fastening: Zip.
Original eBay listing
The original listing was titled Stunning Vtg 50s HUB SCHNEIDER'S Horsehide Leather CHP POLICE Motorcycle Jacket. The supplied record states that the item had been on sale since Monday, 28 March 2016.
- Seller: penny-bizarre.
- Location: Doncaster.
- Category: Clothes, Shoes & Accessories > Men's Clothing > Coats & Jackets.
- Shipping: Worldwide, as stated in the original listing.
These are the original listing details; present availability and shipping terms have not been verified.
Seller's customer-service statement
The seller stated that their priority was the customer and that they would do everything they could to resolve any problem to the customer's satisfaction.
Original listing-template credit
The original page also included an Auctiva promotional message: create listings that get noticed with Auctiva's 1,800+ templates. This is a listing-template advertisement, rather than a feature of the jacket.
Additional information
The following background was researched on 30 September 2026. It provides context for the jacket and the names in its listing.
The Hub Schneider's of Oakland: a documented police-clothing connection
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors' minutes dated 29 October 1974 name The Hub Schneider's Inc., Oakland among the businesses that submitted bids for 100 sets of protective police rainwear for the Sheriff's Department. The contract was awarded to Sacramento Uniforms. This official record documents The Hub Schneider's involvement in bidding for police clothing, but does not identify the maker of this leather jacket or prove that it was issued to the CHP.
Source: El Dorado County minutes, 29 October 1974, PDF page 4, printed page 464.
CHP and its historical context
CHP stands for California Highway Patrol. Its official history dates the agency's creation to 14 August 1929, when legislation established statewide authority to enforce traffic laws on county and state highways. A jacket described as dating from the 1950s belongs to the decades following the agency's establishment; the supplied listing does not include an officer's name or an issue record for this particular garment.
Source: official California Highway Patrol history.
Talon zipper heritage
Talon's company history dates its founding to 1893 and notes the use of its zippers in leather bomber jackets in the 1940s. The Talon name therefore has a long association with leather outerwear. However, Talon still markets vintage-style zippers today, so the brand name alone does not establish a jacket's manufacturing date. For this jacket, the seller specifically distinguished a Serval main zipper from the Talon zippers used elsewhere.
Source: Talon company history. Source: Talon vintage zipper range.
Why the original details matter
The approximate decade, the horsehide-or-steerhide description, and the CHP attribution should be read as information supplied by the original seller. No independent authentication of this exact jacket was located. Its label, construction, zipper details and measurements would be useful evidence for a more precise assessment.
FAQ
The questions below are paraphrased from real discussions about CHP-style and vintage leather jackets. The linked discussions concern other garments; their answers have been summarised and applied only where relevant to the supplied description.
How can the maker and age of a vintage CHP-style jacket be identified?
Collectors compare labels, pocket construction, lining, cuffs, fasteners and zipper details. A Fedora Lounge discussion illustrates the limits of identification from appearance alone: members initially attributed an unlabelled jacket to Star Glove, while its owner later reported that Cal-Leather identified it as a Cal jacket from approximately 1953–1955. For this Hub Schneider's jacket, the 1950s date remains the seller's estimate; the named zippers do not establish an exact year.
User question and answers: identifying the maker and age of a vintage CHP jacket.
Can you reliably tell horsehide from steerhide just by looking at a jacket?
Appearance alone is not a reliable basis for a firm identification. In discussions about older CHP and motorcycle jackets, collectors sometimes disagree about the hide, and softness or grain does not settle the question. For this item, the original seller explicitly allowed both possibilities. The most faithful material description is therefore leather, described as horsehide or steerhide, despite the more definite wording in the title.
User question and answers: could a vintage CHP jacket be horsehide? Supporting collector discussion: difficulty distinguishing processed horsehide and steerhide.
How should I choose the size of a CHP-style leather jacket?
In a CHP jacket sizing discussion, an owner recommends measuring the chest over the clothing normally worn underneath. Also compare the jacket's flat measurements with a jacket that fits you well. The 22.5-inch underarm width supplied here is approximately 45 inches around the garment, rather than a 45-inch body-chest size. The seller estimated a 40–42-inch chest fit, and there was no size label; shoulder width and sleeve length should also be checked.
User question and answers: choosing a CHP jacket size. Supporting answer source: measuring a vintage leather jacket.
Do creases and patina mean that a vintage leather jacket is in poor condition?
They do not establish its condition by themselves. In a discussion about a vintage CHP jacket with visible creasing, the buyer later reported that the leather was soft and that the quality felt excellent. That experience concerns a different jacket, but shows why close-up photographs and a detailed condition description matter more than creasing alone. This Hub Schneider's jacket was described by its seller as having very minimal wear and a beautiful patina; that condition report has not been independently checked.
User question and follow-up: evaluating creasing and leather condition.
How should an older leather jacket be cleaned and conditioned?
Lewis Leathers' care guide recommends brushing off dirt, applying a small amount of suitable leather cleaner with a soft cloth, leaving the jacket to dry for 24 hours, then applying conditioner sparingly and allowing a further 24 hours. Its suggested care interval is six months to a year. Follow the product's suitability instructions: the kit described in that guide is not for suede or light-coloured leather. This is general leather-care guidance, rather than an original Hub Schneider's instruction.
User question: caring for an older leather jacket. Answer source: Lewis Leathers care guide.