What Is Connolly Leather?
Connolly Brothers were a world-famous British company that supplied Connolly Leather Hides.
Connolly Leather started back in 1878 by John Joseph and Samuel Frederick Connolly, kit all began in London when they started the one of the first, while you wait shoes repairs businesses on Euston Road in London.
As the company progressed that started to offer repairs services to harness and saddlery items, it wasn’t long before they began to buy in leather and finish this themselves. When the motorcar was born the Connolly brothers were there from the beginning.
Connolly Leather was on the first Maserati, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Morgan, Bentley, Jaguar and Aston Martin to mention a few, this became the manufacturers go to leather until they retired from the mass market in the early 1900’s.
Connolly Rolls Royce
MG used the Connolly leathers from the 1920’s to the 1950’s using these leathers on the MG TA through to the MG TF.
The Connolly leathers were very unique in production as they had patina, aroma and visible grain patterns left on the surface making them the finest leathers in the world.
Connolly Hides Being Worked On
Connolly Leather has never been forgotten like some brands, and on the 28th October 2016 it opened its doors once again at 4 Clifford Street in London becoming a supplier of leather goods, like gloves, bags, cases, wallets and clothing.
The term Connolising became very famous with clients when they asked the repair people who travelled the UK mainly using public transport with a box of tricks of the trade and products. Are you here to Connilise my leather interior? Only to be told once completed you have been Connolised!!
Connolly Leather used Veg tanned Leathers extensively in its production, so what this means is how the leather was finished the colour on the reverse of the hide always stayed same after its production process was completed. The top grain surface would be coated with colour but the rear remained the same colour this is the unique way of telling if you have a Connolly Leather in your vehicle today.
Connolly Leather were not just famous for its car brands they supplied, but gained recognition through the supply of leather to Concorde, the QE2 and the benches in the British House Of Parliament.
The companies unique process of manufacture meant the leathers were super soft, top quality leathers and became desirable to those who could afford it, including King Edward VII who insisted his coronation coach should be kitted out with Connolly Leather in 1902.
Connolly leather Colliers Wood
Any vehicle with a Connolly Leather interior just oozed quality and that amazing aroma they were renowned for due to using veg tanned leathers. The traditional smell of leather lasted years and years and even today when you open the doors of a car with an original Connolly Leather the beautiful leather aroma just hits you.
Typically Connolly used animals from cooler climates so the quality of the hides could be more controlled allowing them to pick hides with very little surface damage if any were visible at all.
Once the hides had been received by Connolly they went through a unique process of being turned in to a leather with a coloured surface leaving the rear of the hides natural colour this is the unique characters of a Connolly hide. Today Vaumol hides are produced using the unique recipes from the archives allowing them to be identical to the original leathers, many colours are available in the vaumol range with colours dating back to 1878.
Connolly Rolls Royce Front Seats
Rolls Royce Rear Seats Connolly Leather
Connolly Hide Interior
Rolls Royce Connolly Interior
These pictures above are of a traditional Connolly Hide Interior on a Rolls Royce in magnolia and blue accent piping. The quality is just outstanding a nice thick hide that still has that leather aroma to it over 20 years later.