The Moser Leather Company was one of New Albany, Indiana’s five leather companies during the early-20th century.
The Moser Leather Company was one of New Albany, Indiana’s five leather companies during the early-20th century. By the beginning of the 21st, it was the lone survivor.
The Moser Leather Company was founded in 1878, and produced high grade leather for harnesses and collar manufacturers. Moser was attracted to New Albany due to the abundance of native chestnut trees, which have a natural tannin in the bark and nuts that were useful in the tanning process. The natural materials used resulted in a vegetative tanning process, which would take four weeks to complete from start to finish. The hide would be treated to a solution of water and tree bark, which resulted in higher quality, leather that lasted longer and a process that was not environmentally damaging.
Moser later expanded into the wholesale leather business, and bought out Caldwell Leather Company in 1985. By the 1990s, leather from Moser was used by Harley-Davidson and Bass shoes. But cheaper leather processes in Mexico and overseas, nearly all of which used chemical-based processes, produced a cheaper product that led Moser to shut down in 2002.
Not long after Moser closed its doors, it was proposed that the site be renovated into a senior citizen housing complex. But a partial collapse of a roof in one building has led to a setback to the redevelopment proposal.
3 Comments
Add Yours →Outbuildings have been torn town. The main building isn’t worth rebuilding, but there have funds dedicated to its restoration.
Let me clarify what I said in my first posting… the old entity Caldwell/Moser did shut down, we purchased the name, some of the equipment, recipes, etc., to begin a new entity called Moser Leather Company… division of Old West Industries, Inc. We wanted to keep the name alive in some form or fashion, and have posted many pictures on our web site to commemorate the employees that worked at the old company. They were true craftsman.
Thanks, James Cox
Moser never completely shut down, we purchased some of the assets from the old company, including formulas, machinery, etc., and moved it to Hamilton, Ohio. We have kept in close contact with the owners of the property, and continued to sell left machinery from the tannery for them. They have recently sold the property for a loft type condo development. It would be wonderful for you to make new pictures for this forum, to see the before and after pictures of the development. Also for any parties that still want leather… they can visit us here in Hamilton, Ohio… approx. 2 hours from the old site. Thanks! James Cox