I have a few of these and so far the “leather” grip has held up quite well on them. Whatever it is, it’s not cheap tacky stuff.
Edit: I translated the text on the catalog and it says cowhide (牛皮). So it is real leather.
Another interesting thing to note is that the 5000 yen models have a shorter lead sleeve. When I got the first one like that, I thought the tip was damaged and pressed in, but then I found a couple more with identical tips. The catalog photo confirms that the tip is shorter 
If you look under the leather version (SH-2000EL), it lists the color variants: black, wine, blue.
I can’t say … I was unaware that there are 2 variants, so I didn’t take care.
He has posted some more before, and here’s the updated content, I uploaded it with the 1995 catalog:
Excellent! I don’t have a woodgrain Exta, but @cytherian swears by the integrity of the construction.
I was bidding on the same auction though 
Hey
Sorry about that
I had set a sniper bid before I left for vacation and got lucky I guess.
Posted about my TOMBOW Exta Deluxe collection, HERE
@Pdunc67 Patrick, you really got a great price on that Exta Deluxe, considering it stickered and with hang tag… I think I paid $70 USD and that was the lowest I’d seen a few years back. For a long while there was a seller trying to unload 2 of them for $125. I think they finally sold at $80 USD.
That was one of those “I got lucky” minutes. I had put in a sniper bid, and left for vacation. I was surprised to find out I had won.
That was a great post BTW
He shot a little more pages at the time, here’s the more complete one:
Tombow 1988 (partial)
From the same person, which I have uploaded before:
Tombow 1995 (partial)
