Offenbach Leather Museum

Offenbach is geographically, speaking a suburb of Frankfurt, although those from Offenbach would not want you to refer to it that way. Once the center of a thriving leather industry, since World War II, it has declined. What remains is a museum that portrays, in a singular way, the role leather played in the cultural history of, not only Germany but the world.Selecting pictures for inclusion here was almost pointless. There were over 15 thousand exhibits. This link will give you some idea of what we saw.  Posting pictures would  hardly begin to express the scope of this craft. As we wandered through this museum,   I was left with a broadened perspective, an appreciation of another  art form and a taste of the diversity to which leather was used through the generations. I believe there is one other leather  museum in the world - in Chicago. Offenbach lays  claim to being the center of international exhibits on the best and latest in leather works from purses and luggage to footwear. We were shown the basic principles of the leather goods industry with examples from the work of bookbinders and saddlers.  The exhibit was worldwide and attempted to encompass the  changing variety of goods through the ages. One section on leather working techniques displays models of  the various tanning processes together with the different types  of leather and dyeing methods, and demonstrates properties of  leather such as elasticity, tensile strength, susceptibility to  splitting and resistance to water and fire. There were ample  displays of "exotic" leathers such as crocodile, snake and lizard skin together with goods made of them. Issues surrounding  the protection of endangered species are also covered here. They had a well laid out display of leather from Inuit, native  leather works and cowboy duds, western saddles from various  eras and full size displays depicting scenes with how and where  the various leathers were used. Again I have to admire the  German eye for detail, precision and historical accuracy. The museum has a major collection of shadow puppets from  Thailand, India, China, Indonesia, Egypt and Turkey. Exquisitely cut from the fine leather and painted with iridescent colours, the puppets were operated by rods from  below, to present plays against a translucent back-lit screen.  Unusual exhibits include a set of Chinese shadow puppets  that belonged to Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799), and a  number of large Thai shadowfigures. Few museums  in the world can boast such an outstanding shadow puppet collection. There was a shoe museum which was more an artistic  rendition of styles and ornamental features than anything  anyone would typically wear. I missed this part as I got a  phone call as I often do at various and sundry times  relating to my assignment. Some of these would make  interesting stories too. We took this tour with 25 senior missionaries couples and sisters.  We have lived long enough to have witnessed a generation when the leather industry is rapidly declining. I remember my German friends in Norther Ontario walking around in their lederhosen; luggage of any quality was  always leather.