page_title: Alligator leather
section_title: Handbags
hierarchical_section_title: Alligator leather / Applications / Handbags
caption_attribution_description: English: An incubator on an alligator farm (possibly the California Alligator Farm, Los Angeles), ca.1900 Photograph of an incubator on an alligator farm (possibly the California Alligator Farm, Los Angeles), ca.1900. At center is a wooden dresser on which the words are written "Made Especially for [Incubating] Alligator Eggs". A single drawer is out, displaying both eggs and baby alligators. On top of the incubator sits a large alligator-skin bag, capable of holding at least several dozen of the infants. Call number: CHS-6301 Filename: CHS-6301 Coverage date: circa 1900 Part of collection: California Historical Society Collection, 1860-1960 Format: glass plate negatives Type: images Geographic subject (city or populated place): Los Angeles Full text: Repository name: USC Libraries Special Collections Accession number: 6301 Microfiche number: 1-72-3 Archival file: chs_Volume69/CHS-6301.tiff Part of subcollection: Title Insurance and Trust, and C.C. Pierce Photography Collection, 1860-1960 Repository address: Doheny Memorial Library, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189 Geographic subject (country): USA Format (aacr2): 1 photograph&#160;: glass photonegative, b&amp;w&#160;; 21 x 26 cm.; 1 photograph&#160;: photoprint, b&amp;w&#160;; 8 x 10 in. Rights: Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library; From the California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California Subject (adlf): agricultural sites Project: USC Repository email: specol@usc.edu Contributing entity: California Historical Society Date created: circa 1900 Publisher (of the digital version): University of Southern California. Libraries Format (aat): photographic prints; photographs Geographic subject (state): California Subject (file heading): Agriculture -- Ranching -- Livestock -- Alligators Legacy record ID: chs-m9557; USC-1-1-1-9696 Access conditions: Send requests to address or e-mail given. Phone (213) 821-2366; fax (213) 740-2343. Geographic subject (county): Los Angeles Subject (lcsh): Alligators; Eggs -- Incubation; Incubation
context_page_description: Leather is created when an animal skin or hide is chemically treated in a process called tanning to preserve them for long term use as material for clothing, handbags, footwear, furniture, sports equipment and tools. Alligator leather is also commonly used to create similar items as mentioned above.
  Alligator leather is not only used due to its durable skin, but also its natural enamel sheen, which is aesthetically pleasing for consumers buying expensive products.
context_section_description: Luxury brands are known to use rare and expensive materials to justify their prices. One of these sought after materials is alligator leather. One particular brand that is synonymous with high-end luxury would be Hermès. One of their most iconic and expensive bags ever made would be their Alligator Birkin that was priced at a staggering US$379,261 at auction. Luxury brands prefer the highest grade under belly section of the alligator, as they usually need a large piece of the hide. Lower grade alligator leather usually has scar tissue that would decrease the value of the product.
caption: An Alligator Handbag Rests on Top of an Incubator (possibly the California Alligator Farm, Los Angeles), ca.1900 (CHS-6301)
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