THE CHOICE OF DESIGN AND COLOUR
The present chapter is devoted to some remarks on colour combination and
the composition of ornament, based on the personal experience of the
author.
Three colours, for the groundwork, ornament and high lights respectively,
will, in many cases, be found sufficient for a scheme of decoration. A
multitude of colours, worked in great detail on a relatively small
surface, confuse the eye and hinder it from grasping the effect of the
decoration as a whole. Only special styles of decoration, such as Moorish
geometrical patterns, allow of the use of a great variety of colours. The
circumstance already explained, that in leather decoration dyes may be
used one over the other, enables interesting effects to be produced.
A design of sea, with seaweed and fish, can be effectively rendered
entirely with sulphate of iron of varying strength. A weak solution is
washed evenly over the whole; the waves are then drawn in with a flat
brush dipped in a stronger solution, and the dark outlines afterwards
bleached with acid where they border the first tint. The fish and seaweed
in relief are similarly treated with decolorant, and a light wash of
yellow over the whole completes an effective decoration.
The foliage of the chestnut tree in autumn lends itself exceptionally well
to decorative treatment, both as regards form and colour. The large
variety of greens and yellows are most effective on a ground of brickdust
red.
A groundwork of soft grey, brightened by an underwash of very pale yellow,
is suitable for reserved or bleached designs. Deep carmine constitutes a
rich colour for groundwork, and is produced by using bright red over
potash and deepening the effect by rubbing.
In planning a decoration, the artist has generally some special effect in
his mind which he wishes to reproduce. It is not unusual, however, for the
result to be totally different from what is anticipated, since uncertainty
constitutes one of the charms of the art of colouring leather. These
failures, as they may be considered from one point of view, often produce
interesting effects and sometimes lead to valuable discoveries.
Marbled leather should be decorated with flat ornament only.
Figures in high relief belong properly to the domain of the sculptor and
should be avoided in leather work, much of its individuality lying in the
value of the outline in producing an effect of relief.
Some skilful artists produce in leather not only the relief, but the
turned over edges of petals, etc., and treat twisted ribbons in open-work;
the result, though pleasing, is essentially evanescent, owing to the
extreme fragility of the detached portions of the leather.
Of all the uses to which leather work may be applied, none offer greater
scope to the inspiration of the artist than bookbinding. It has become the
fashion not only to provide a more or less rich covering for a beautiful
edition, but to suggest in its design the nature of the contents of the
volume, should these lend themselves to such treatment. The artist,
however, will do well to practise this principle with due restraint,
avoiding, on the one hand, what may be called anecdotal design, and, on
the other, an over subtle symbolism.
Leather coffers, when well executed, constitute veritable works of art.
They present considerable difficulties in the mounting of the leather
over the wooden coffer so that the lines of the ornament come exactly in
the right place. It is necessary that the lines forming the framework of
the design should accurately correspond with the dimensions of the coffer
to be covered. A coffer usually consists of a box with a hinged lid; the
measure is taken by laying the leather round the whole; the leather is
then cut, leaving a small surplus at the edges to be pared and folded over
at the sides. The join should be arranged for at the lower border and not
at the intersection of the lid and the box. The leather at this point is
better left to be cut after it has been stuck on the wood in mounting.
When the leather is decorated in mosaic and consists of panels each
enclosed within a patterned border, the probability of its stretching when
it is fixed on the wood, must be taken into consideration; Cape morocco,
however, if fairly thick will hardly stretch perceptibly.
During the process of outlining the design, which is done before mounting
the leather on the wood, it should be stretched to its full extent on a
flat board.
When the decoration is in relief, the padding should be very firm, so as
to counteract the tendency to stretch during the process of mounting.
Generally speaking, designs based on naturalistic flowers do not give the
most satisfactory effects in the decoration of coffers, since the style is
not suited to the restricted size of the panels, even when the design
ignores them and extends beyond. Designs in the modern style, or Gothic
designs in the style of the fifteenth century, or those based on the
Arabic decoration of the best period, are much to be preferred; in the
last two styles punches used with a hammer will greatly assist in lowering
the groundwork, so that the design stands out in relief without the
necessity of stuffing it, as in embossed work. By introducing _gouache_ or
bronzes into the impressions made with the punches, rich effects of colour
can be produced.
[Illustration: 17. BINDING OF STAINED CALF, CUT, EMBOSSED, TOOLED AND
_PATINATED_ BY HENRI GODIN. MODERN FRENCH.]
There are numerous other styles appropriate to the decoration of leather
coffers.
In the decoration of large surfaces, such as the panels of wall-hangings,
the artist is cautioned against the abuse of detail, frequently the
stumbling-block of the beginner. He is recommended to exercise a wise
restraint in his composition, and to avail himself of the numerous
resources of the conventional art of the modern school more particularly
in their application to the ornamentation of large surfaces. Technical
efficiency in the use of the tools is essential and must be gained by
practice, but may be said to be second in importance to a thorough
knowledge of decorative design, which can be attained only by the
intelligent study of the best models. The education of the eye is a
considerable factor in the conventional interpretation of natural forms.
The artist cannot do better than to study the ancient Japanese school,
which has found such favour with the initiators of the so-called “Modern
Art,” and which affords the best examples of balance in design in its
rejection of unnecessary detail in the interpretation of natural forms. He
may also find inspiration in the fields of Egyptian and Assyrian art, in
the interlaced patterns of the disciples of St. Dunstan, and in the quaint
renderings of leaves and flowers in the hangings and brocades of the
Middle Ages.
APPENDIX
LEATHER HANGINGS AND FURNITURE
The origin of the use of decorated leather for hangings and furniture has
been the subject of much controversy. After consulting various books on
the subject, we believe, as already stated, that its introduction into
Spain may be attributed to the Moorish conquerors about the eighth
century. In an Arabian manuscript of the sixth century of the Mohammedan
era, mention is made of the industry as flourishing in the town of
Ghadames in the Sahara. Jehan de Garlande, author of a Latin dictionary
composed in 1080, mentions _Cordouans_ first manufactured at Cordova in
the eleventh century. About the same time, the Monk Theophilus, in his
curious encyclopædia of the arts which unfortunately has not come down to
us in its complete form, gives the following description of the processes
of gilding leather:——
“For laying on gold or silver, take the clear liquid of white of
egg beaten up without water, paint some with a brush over the
part which is to receive the gold or silver. Damping the end of
the same brush in your mouth, bring it in contact with a corner
of the cut leaf (of gold or silver). Then lifting it with
extreme rapidity, you lay it on the prepared place and spread it
with a dry brush. At this point you must take precautions
against a draught, you must hold your breath, for if you breathe
you will lose the leaf and find difficulty in recovering it.
When in position and dry you may, if you wish, put a second over
it in the same way, and then a third, if it is wanted, so as
to be able to give a more brilliant polish with a burnisher.
“You can, if you wish, apply the leaf on a ceiling or a wall; in
the same manner, over a lining of tinfoil. If you have neither
gold nor silver, you will use tinfoil, which you will apply
thus....”[15]
[15] _Theophili Presbyteri et Monachi_, Libri 3 _seu Diversarum artium
schedula_. Chapter 24.
Until the middle of the seventeenth century, hangings, and even carpets,
of decorated leather formed an important item in those inventories of
princely possessions which are such a reliable and inexhaustible source of
information for the historian of the sumptuary arts.[16] Princes and other
great personages depended largely on decorated leather and tapestries,
when moving from place to place, to supplement the often hastily
improvised decoration of their temporary apartments.
[16] _Dictionnaire de l’Ameublement et de la Décoration depuis le 13me
Siècle jusqu’à nos Jours_, by Henry Havard.
The enumeration of all the different processes by which the leather was
ornamented would carry us beyond the limits of this appendix, and we will
confine ourselves to tracing in outline the development of the art of
working in leather as applied to hangings and furniture during the last
few centuries.
First in order of time we find skins covered with hair, sewn together for
carpets or hangings; different kinds being placed side by side, either
irregularly, or alternately to form a pattern. We are not, however, here
concerned with anything but leather proper, that is to say, skins with the
hair removed, and this was first decorated by means of a hot tool. The
addition of colour speedily followed. Dark coloured leathers were also
sewn as borders on lighter ones, and polished metal ornaments were added
to brighten the leather groundwork, a fashion borrowed from the method of
joining and strengthening the accoutrements of war.
Little by little, as the custom spread of reproducing the human figure and
animals, attempts were made to carry out whole pictures on panels made of
leather sewn together with the seams hammered flat. But painted leather
was still generally of comparatively small dimensions, and it would seem
that these pictures were designed chiefly for the ornamentation of chests.
The leather was first stretched over wooden panels, several panels being
sometimes placed side by side. A special paste was used, the object of
which was to cause the leather to shrink when dry, so as to make the
panels adhere more closely together. The following description by the Monk
Theophilus of the paste used in his time for this sort of work may
interest the reader:——
“Panels for altars or doors are made thus:——First join some
boards carefully one by one with the help of the joining tool
used by coopers or joiners. They must be fastened together with
cheese paste made in the following manner:——Some soft cow’s-milk
cheese is cut very thin and washed with hot water in a mortar
with a pestle, changing the water until it comes out clear. The
cheese after being pressed in the hand is put into cold water
until it hardens. It is then well crushed with a piece of wood
on a smooth wooden table. In this condition it is put back into
the mortar to be carefully pounded with the pestle, after having
added water mixed with quicklime till it becomes thick like a
sediment. Panels put together with this paste when dry, stick so
fast that neither damp nor heat can separate them. They must
then be made even with a special tool for this purpose. This
tool, curved and sharp on the inside, has two handles, so that
it may be used with both hands. It is used to level panels,
doors and shields until they are perfectly smooth. They are then
covered with untanned mule-skin or ox-hide, after it has been
wetted and the hairs scraped off. The water is partly squeezed
out, and while still damp it is stuck on with the cheese
paste.”[17]
[17] _Theophili Presbyteri et Monachi_, Libri 3 _seu Diversarum artium
schedula_. Chapter 17.
[Illustration: 18. GOLD-TOOLED AND INLAID MOROCCO BINDING. _THE LETTERS OF
PRINCESS LIEVEN._ BY S. T. PRIDEAUX. MODERN ENGLISH.]
In the eleventh century we come to the first employment of gold leaf on
decorated leather, whence is derived the name, “or basané,” which it
afterwards received. The passage describing the process of gilding has
been quoted already (page 80), but each master of the art no doubt
introduced his own modifications.
With the introduction of gold, leather decoration assumed a magnificence
and importance hitherto unknown. The heads of the saints were surrounded
with golden haloes, and the gold and silver embroideries of the sacerdotal
ornaments were carried out in those metals on the leather. A little later
the knights are represented clad in brilliant armour with plumed helmets.
The correct rendering of the heraldic colouring of the coats of arms
figuring on shield and target then necessitated the use of a more extended
range of oil colours, until, little by little, decorated leather grew to
resemble the paintings of Van Orley.
Meanwhile, punches, cut in relief or in intaglio and used with a hammer,
were adopted to break the monotony of the groundwork and throw up the
relief of the ornament, and the fashion also arose of embossing leather
with a modelling tool or by means of stamps, the latter method necessarily
resulting in the substitution of repeating ornament for figures and
landscapes.
Leather manufactured in Spain, Portugal, Flanders, and later in England is
almost always decorated in high relief with touches of gold, the design
being principally flowers, foliage, cupids, pomegranates, etc. Venice
alone remained faithful to flat decoration with hollowed or merely
darkened outline in the cameo-like medallions of classical scenes painted
on groundwork whose design was borrowed from the gorgeous stuffs of the
East.
The fashion imported from Italy in the reign of Francis I of breaking up
surfaces with pilasters, cornices, medallions and ornaments in relief, was
instrumental in adding importance to small painted designs on leather
rather than to hangings properly so called. Some of these leather
paintings were like pictures and were used not only for wall decoration,
but as hangings for beds and even as bedspreads of state. The custom of
thus decorating beds lasted a long time. Pierre Bénard, an upholsterer by
trade, established in Paris, and author of a collection of songs dedicated
to the “Vertueuse Royne Marguerite,” first wife of Henri IV, refers to the
use of “or basané” in this manner as an evidence of wealth.
Already under Catherine de Médicis, decorated leather had become extremely
popular, and was preferred to all other hangings for the embellishment of
apartments; its popularity lost nothing under the second wife of Henry IV,
in whose native country this style of decoration was also held in great
favour. In the reign of Louis XIII the influence of Anne of Austria
brought Spanish leather again into fashion. From that time also, leather
gilt or stamped in its natural colour and ornamented with copper nails
(probably inspired by the marriage chests with their curious studded
ornament) was found in the mansions of the great and became the principal
material for covering chairs.
The grandiose style of architecture of the time of Louis XIV called for
the decoration of spaces framed in gorgeous pilasters and was favourable
to the application of decorated leather in the style of Bérain. But this
did not long remain popular, and leather was replaced by Gobelin and other
tapestries made in France, whose introduction gave the deathblow to the
manufacture of leather hangings.
From this period till the present day the art of gilding leather has been
on the decline. Of this no further proof is needed than the following
preface written in 1762 by Fougeroux de Boudaroy, who had been
commissioned by the Academy to take over the work of research, previously
conducted by Réaumur, on the subject of leather hangings:——
[Illustration: 19. BACK AND SEAT OF CHAIR IN CUT, EMBOSSED AND GILT
COWHIDE WITH PUNCHED BACKGROUND. EXECUTED BY ROSALIE VIGERS FROM A DESIGN
BY FREDERICK VIGERS. MODERN ENGLISH.]
“Flanders, Holland and England are reputed to have furnished the
first gilt or silvered leather hangings seen in Paris. Some
attribute their invention to Spain, but without apparent reason,
since to-day there are in France no such hangings of Spanish
manufacture, nor are they much known in that country. The gilt
leather hangings which come to us from Flanders are nearly all
made at Lille, Brussels, Antwerp and Mechlin; those derived from
the last-named place are the most prized of all. Some very fine
ones which we have attempted to imitate are made in Venice;
manufactures were also started at Lyons and met with success.
“It was only about two centuries ago that this trade was
established in Paris. We owe it to some Flemish workmen who
settled in the capital and left successors there. But on account
of the nation’s prejudice in favour of all that comes from
abroad, the hangings from Holland and Flanders were always
preferred to those of our own manufacture, although they did not
surpass the latter in quality or in beauty.
“Though equalling those of Holland and Flanders, it was not
possible to find a sale for our hangings unless they were passed
off as having been made in one or other of those provinces, and
this was frequently done by our manufacturers. It must, however,
be admitted that certain gilt leather hangings from England and
Venice have never been equalled here. We are forced to allow
their superiority in brilliancy, beauty of design and
durability. Perhaps all that our workmen needed to be able to
imitate them perfectly was to feel the assurance of greater
constancy in our tastes, and to witness the cessation of that
affection and preference for everything foreign, which might
lead to the more favourable treatment of the native industry.
“Gilt leather hangings were at one time much sought after. Their
qualities of being, unlike woollen and other materials,
unaffected by damp and insects, of retaining their brilliancy
unimpaired by time, of not attracting dust, and of allowing it
to be easily removed by washing with a sponge, and finally, of
not lending themselves to the multiplication of the insects
which in summer infest the capital and which find in other
tapestries convenient nests for depositing their eggs, were all
advantages, forming so many reasons for their being in demand
and gaining for them a place in the apartments of the great, of
which they frequently constituted the ornament. But to-day, a
change of taste and the dictates of fashion which outweighs even
the advantages and conveniences of life, have caused them to be
almost forgotten and relegated them to the ante-rooms of a few
county houses where some of the earliest are to be found, nearly
as beautiful as when they were first made in Paris.
“Now that the art is less in vogue, we think it a suitable time
to describe it to the public, thus following the intention of
the Academy of allowing nothing to be lost that may now or
hereafter be useful to the cause of art. We may at any time be
desirous of returning to these older fashions, no longer being
able to vary them, and this may be among those destined to
return to favour. At any rate, it will be agreed that some of
its processes merit description, and might find their
application in other arts and help in bringing them to
perfection.”
[Illustration: 20. EMBOSSED CALF BINDING. _BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER._
EXECUTED BY ROSALIE VIGERS FROM A DESIGN BY FREDERICK VIGERS. MODERN
ENGLISH.]
The same author describes minutely and very clearly the various processes
in use at the time for gilding or silvering leather. Instead of
silver-gilt, which is necessarily very costly, he recommends silver leaf
burnished and covered with a varnish, for which he gives the following
recipe, found by him, as he modestly acknowledges, among the papers of
Mons. de Réaumur:——
“Take four and a half pounds of colophony, the same quantity of
ordinary resin, two and a half pounds of sandarach and two of
aloes; mix these four drugs together, after having broken up
those which are in large pieces, and put them in an earthen pot
on a good charcoal fire. It is better for the fire to be of
charcoal, because it makes but little flame, which would be
dangerous if it should enter the vessel, as the ingredients are
very inflammable. To guard against this accident and others of
which we will speak later on, the vessel must be chosen large
enough not to be more than half-filled by the drugs already
mentioned and the others yet to be added, as will presently be
explained. It is well also for it to widen out at the top, or to
have a rim that will project the flame outwards. These are small
precautions which it is always better to take; some, however,
neglect them, and make their varnish on a wood fire, and then
double attention must be given to prevent the drugs igniting.
“Melt all these drugs in the pot and stir them with a spatula so
that they mix together and do not stick to the bottom. When they
are well melted, pour in seven pints of linseed oil and mix it
with the drugs, using the spatula. Cook the whole, stirring it
from time to time to prevent as much as possible a kind of
sediment which forms and does not mix with the oil from sticking
to the bottom of the vessel. When the varnish is cooked, pass it
through a cloth or strainer.
“This quantity of varnish should, according to workmen, remain
seven to eight hours on the fire to cook, but this cannot be
regarded as an invariable rule. It will not take so long to cook
on a large fire. A better test used by workmen in manufacturing
varnish is to take a few drops of the liquid with the spatula
and lay it over silver leaf on some leather; or else they take
some of the varnish in a silver spoon and, by trying it with the
finger tip as if it were syrup, find out if it is cooked enough.
If it ropes in cooling, or if the finger has a tendency to stick
when it is gently withdrawn, it is a sign that it is
sufficiently cooked, that is to say that it has arrived at the
consistency of a thickish syrup. The varnish is then brown in
colour, and curiously enough when laid over silver it becomes
transparent and gives the effect of brilliant gold.”
While on the subject of gold groundwork made with gold or silver leaf or
tin-foil covered with varnish to imitate the colour of gold, it is curious
to note how far back in the history of art its origin can be traced; after
the Greeks, the Byzantines made use of and, it may also be said, abused
it. This want of moderation in the use of gold is to be met with long
afterwards, for it is mentioned in his book on painting by L. Benedetto
Alberti who died in Rome in 1472.[18]
[18] _Sunt qui auro immodice utantur, quam aurum putent historiæ affere
majestatem._ L. B. Alberti, _De Pictura_, Book 2, page 25, _ad finem
Vitruv. Elzevir. f._
Van Orley, Raphael’s pupil, when painting his “Last Judgment” at Antwerp,
had his panel gilt in order to obtain “a beautiful transparency.”[19]
[19] Decamps. _Vie des peintres flamands._ Paris, 1753, 4 vols. Vol. 1,
page 39.
We have quoted above the formula for golden varnish given by Fougeroux de
Boudaroy which he ascribes to Réaumur. It may be found interesting to
compare with it that given by the Monk Theophilus in his _Diversarum
Artium Schedula_:——
“Put some linseed oil in a small new pot; add some gum arabic
called _fornis_ pounded very fine; this gum is like very light
incense, but is more brilliant when broken up. Place it on a
charcoal fire and cook it carefully without allowing it to boil,
until it is reduced by one third. Be very careful of flames, for
they are very dangerous, and the preparation is difficult to
extinguish if it once catches fire. Any painting coated with
this varnish becomes brilliant, beautiful and perfectly
lasting....
“Another method. Arrange three or four stones which will stand
the fire without breaking, or bricks may be used instead. On
these place a new pot, pour into it some _fornis_ mentioned
above, called by the Romans “glossa,” otherwise gum arabic. Over
the opening of the pot, put a smaller one having a little hole
at the bottom; fill in with clay so that no space remains
between them. Carefully light a fire underneath the apparatus
until the gum liquefies. You will also have a thin tool with a
handle which will serve to stir the gum and to find out the
exact moment when it becomes perfectly liquid. Have a third pot
on charcoal by you in which there is hot linseed oil; when the
gum is quite liquid, so that a thread of it hangs from the tool
when it is withdrawn, pour in the hot oil, stir with the tool,
and, when in this condition, cook all together without letting
it boil, take out the tool from time to time and spread a little
of the mixture on wood or stone to try its density. With regard
to the proportion, be careful that there are two thirds of oil
to one of gum. When it is cooked according to your judgment,
take it off the fire and, covering it with care, let it cool.
“_Of the Method of Colouring Tinfoil to give it the Appearance
of being Gilt, so that it may be used when Gold cannot be had._
“Place the pieces (of tinfoil) side by side on the board, fasten
them one by one to the wood with wax, so that they cannot get
displaced, spread over them with the hand a coating of the
varnish described above, and let them dry in the sun. After that
take some sticks of rotten wood cut in April, slit in half and
smoke dried. Peel off the outer bark and the second, which is
the colour of saffron; scrape it into a clean vessel, adding to
it a fifth part of saffron, macerate it well in old wine or ale;
after letting it stand during the night, make it lukewarm the
next morning. When in this condition, dip in the sheets of
tinfoil one by one, frequently taking them out until you find
them assume a golden shade, when you will again fix them on the
wooden board and apply a coat of varnish as before; when dry you
will have sheets of tinfoil that you can use as you wish in your
work....”[20]
[20] _Diversarum artium schedula_, Book 1. Chapters 21 and 36.
Although it may not be possible for an amateur, incompletely equipped with
the necessary implements, to reproduce the marvellous work of a byegone
age, there are still many methods of decoration for him to attempt which
will be equally attractive in modern surroundings.
NOTE
SOME EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON
LEATHER FOR BOOKBINDING, APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL
OF THE SOCIETY OF ARTS, FEBRUARY, 1900.
“This Committee met for the first time on May 3, 1900.... Its first step
was to appoint two Sub-Committees from amongst its members. The first of
these was to visit a selected number of libraries, and to ascertain the
comparative durability of the various bookbinding leathers used at
different periods and preserved under different conditions.... The second
... was appointed to deal with the scientific side of the matter, to
ascertain the cause of any deterioration noticed, and, if possible, to
suggest methods for its prevention in the future....
“The first step taken by the (first) Sub-Committee was to visit a number
of libraries, including that of the British Museum, the Bodleian Library,
Oxford, the University Library, Cambridge, the libraries of the Athenæum
Club, of the Patent Office and of the Chemical Society, also the valuable
private library of Mr. Huth....
“As regards the common belief that modern binding leather does decay
prematurely, the Sub-Committee satisfied themselves that books bound
during the last eighty or hundred years showed far greater evidence of
deterioration than those of an earlier date. Many recent bindings showed
evidence of decay after so short a period as ten, or even five years. The
Sub-Committee came to the conclusion that there is ample justification for
the general complaint that modern leather is not so durable as that
formerly used. To fix the date of the commencement of this deterioration
was a difficult matter; but they came to the conclusion that while
leather of all periods showed some signs of decay, the deterioration
becomes more general on books bound after 1830, while some leathers seem
to be generally good until about 1860, after which date nearly all
leathers seem to get worse. The deterioration of calf bindings at the
latter end of the nineteenth century may be attributed as much to the
excessive thinness as to the poor quality of the material.
“With regard to the conditions under which books are kept, ventilation,
lighting, heating, etc., the Committee were satisfied that in libraries
where there was no artificial light used, and where the ventilation was
good, the bindings were generally in a better state than elsewhere. Where
gas is used the bindings are in the worst state noticed, especially on the
higher shelves.... Daylight and still more direct sunlight, has a
disintegrating effect on leather....
“As to the suitability of various leathers, the Sub-Committee came to the
conclusion that of the old leathers (fifteenth and sixteenth century),
white pigskin, probably alum tanned, is the most durable, but its
excessive hardness and want of flexibility renders this leather unsuitable
for most modern work. Old brown calf has lasted fairly well, but loses its
flexibility, and becomes stiff and brittle when exposed to light and air.
Some of the white tawed skins of the fifteenth and sixteenth century,
other than white pigskin, and probably deerskin, have lasted very well.
Some fifteenth and sixteenth century sheepskin bindings have remained soft
and flexible, but the surface is soft and usually much damaged by
friction. Vellum seems to have lasted fairly well, but is easily
influenced by atmospheric changes, and is much affected by light. Early
specimens of red morocco from the sixteenth to the end of the eighteenth
century were found in good condition, and of all the leathers noticed,
this seems to be the least affected by the various conditions to which it
had been subjected. In the opinion of the Committee, most of this leather
has been tanned with sumach or some closely allied tanning material.
Morocco bindings earlier than 1860 were generally found to be in fairly
good condition, but morocco after that date seems to be much less
reliable, and in many cases has become utterly rotten. During the latter
part of the eighteenth century it became customary to pare down calf until
it was as thin as paper. Since about 1830 hardly any really sound calf
seems to have been used, as, whether thick or thin, it appears generally
to have perished. Sheepskin bindings of the early part of the century are
many of them still in good condition. Since about 1860 sheepskin as
sheepskin is hardly to be found. Sheepskins are grained in imitation of
other leathers and these imitation-grained leathers are generally found to
be in a worse condition than any of the other bindings, except, perhaps,
some of the very thin calf skin. Undyed modern pigskin seems to last well,
but some coloured pigskin bindings had entirely perished. Modern leathers
dyed with the aid of sulphuric acid are all to be condemned. In nearly
every case Russia leather was found to have become rotten, at least in
bindings of the last fifty years....
“The work of the second Sub-Committee, which was composed of chemists
specially conversant with the treatment of leather, was directed specially
to the elucidation of the following points; an investigation of the nature
of the decay of leather used for bookbinding; an examination of the causes
which produced this decay; a research into the best methods of preparing
leather for bookbinding; and a consideration of the points required to be
dealt with in the preservation of books....
“The Sub-Committee made a number of tests and analyses of samples of
decayed leather bookbindings, as well as of leathers used for binding. The
Committee found that the most prevalent decay was what they termed a red
decay, and this they think may be differentiated into old and new, the old
red decay being noticeable up to about 1830, and the new decay since that
date. In the old decay the leather becomes hard and brittle, the surface
not being easily abraded by friction. The older form is specially noticed
in calf-bound books, tanned presumably with oak bark. The new form affects
nearly all leathers, and, in extreme cases, seems absolutely to destroy
the fibres. Another form of deterioration, more noticeable in the newer
books, renders the grain of the leather liable to peel off when exposed to
the slightest friction. This is the most common form of decay noted in the
most recent leathers. In nearly all samples of Russia leather, a very
violent form of red decay was noticed. In many cases the leather was found
to be absolutely rotten in all parts exposed to light and air....
“An extensive series of experiments was carried out with a view of
determining the causes of the decay of bindings. The Sub-Committee find
that this is caused by both mechanical and by chemical influences. Of the
latter some are due to the mistakes of the leather manufacturer and the
bookbinder, others to the want of ventilation, and to improper heating and
lighting of libraries. In some cases inferior leathers are finished (by
methods in themselves injurious) so as to imitate the better class
leathers, and of course, where these are used, durability cannot be
expected. But in the main, the injury for which the manufacturer and the
bookbinder are responsible must be attributed rather to ignorance of the
effect of the means employed to give the leather the outward qualities
required for binding, than to the intentional production of an inferior
article....
* * * * *
“We are of opinion that no special skin can be condemned in its original
condition, although goat, seal, pig, and calf are probably superior in
strength of texture to sheep. Sheepskins are, however, equally resistant
to chemical agencies, and being naturally soft and flexible, are extremely
suitable for use for purposes where they are not much exposed to
mechanical wear.
“Fresh market skins, dry skins, or wet salted skins are much to be
preferred to those known as ‘drysalted,’ since the crystallization of the
salt which takes place in the drysalting process, tends to weaken the
structural fibre of the pelt. No tainted or putrefied skins, even if only
slightly affected, are suitable for the manufacture of bookbinding
leather, both for the same reason, and because the weakness of grain so
produced leads to uneven dyeing.
“In the soaking of skins we would strongly condemn the use of old putrid
soaks, or the addition of salt to the soaks to assist in the softening, as
both methods weaken the skin. ... Violent mechanical treatment such as
‘stocking’ is injurious....
“The liming should be done in mellow, weak limes. Old limes smelling
strongly of ammonia, and containing large quantities of bacteriological
products, must be avoided....
“Special care should be taken with regard to the beamhouse work after
unhairing and fleshing, as, by excessive or unsound puering and drenching
of the skins, their whole natural strength is frequently destroyed....
Great damage is frequently caused by the use of foul puers or foul bates,
in which putrefaction has taken place.
“Pure sumach is the tannage we would most strongly recommend for high
class bookbinding....
“The tannage of bookbinding leathers must be a mellow one, and must not be
carried too far, as we have found in many cases the cause of decay in
tanned leather has been the fact that the leather was overloaded with
tannin. Tanning has throughout a hardening effect on the leather fibre,
which, if pushed too far, ends in brittleness and loss of tenacity....
“We must absolutely condemn the use of any but mild vegetable acids in
souring or scouring the leather, or in the dye bath, and as far as
possible would avoid the use of acids and alkalis on tanned leather, both
being equally injurious.
“It has been shown by careful experiment, that even a minute quantity of
sulphuric acid used in the dye bath to liberate the colour, is at once
absorbed by the leather, and that no amount of subsequent washing will
remove it. In a very large proportion of cases, the decay of modern
sumach-tanned leather has been due to the sulphuric acid used in the dye
bath, and retained in the skin....
“We ... advise that the glazing of skins by friction in a damp ‘seasoned’
condition should be avoided.
“The use of nitric acid as a preparation for glazing is absolutely
destructive....
“The use of oxalic acid for washing backs of books, or of leather for
bookbinding, is fatal to their durability....
“The sprinkling of leather with ferrous sulphate (green vitriol), either
for the production of ‘sprinkled’ calf or ‘tree’ calf, must be most
strongly condemned, as the iron combines with and destroys the tan in the
leather, and free sulphuric acid is liberated which is still more
destructive....
“The stretching of leather tightly over books in a wet condition ...
should be strongly condemned....
“It is shown conclusively that the catechol tannins, which include turwar,
quebracho, hemlock and larch barks, and gambier, are unsuitable for
bookbinding leathers where durability is expected, and that sumach yields
a much more permanent leather, while myrobalans occupy an intermediate
place, but nearly approaching sumach. It is unfortunate that cassia bark,
which is the tanning material employed for East Indian sheep and goat
skins, should have proved so unreliable, since these leathers have been
largely used in bookbinding without suspicion, and are in other respects a
cheap and good article. With regard to sumach leathers themselves, it is
possible that some of the darkening noticed may be due to the presence of
adulterants, such as pistacia leaves, in the sumach used, as it is almost
impracticable to obtain absolutely pure sumach, and the pistacia tannin is
allied to that of the cassia.
“Of all the influences to which books are exposed in libraries, gas
fumes——no doubt because of the sulphuric and sulphurous acid which they
contain——are shown to be the most injurious, but light and especially
direct sunlight and hot air, are shown to possess deleterious influences
which had scarcely been suspected previously, and the importance of
moderate temperature and thorough ventilation of libraries cannot be too
much insisted on.”
INDEX
Absorbent leather: colouring, 69
Acid
: hydrochloric, 30, 66, 71
: muriatic, 71
: nitric, 71
: oxalic, 71
: picric, 66, 67, 68
: sulphuric, 71
Acids, 66
as decolorants, 71
: diluting, 71
: effect of, on steel tools, 30
: injurious effect of, on leather, 72
Alberti: L. B., author of _De Pictura_, 87
Albumen: colours based on, 67
Alizarin, 66, 67
Alkalis, 66
Aniline dyes: stability of, 64
Apparatus for pyrogravure, 36-37
Archil, 66
Arnotto, 66
Aumaître: Mons. E., 38, 42, 52, 59
Baryta: chromate of, 66
Bed-furniture: leather, 84
Belleville: Mons., author of _Le cuir dans la Décoration Moderne_, 62,
71
Bénard: Pierre, author, 84
Bérain: leather decorated in style of, 84
Blacks, 66
Blues, 67, 74
Bookbinding
: carved leather, 14
: choice of design for, 77
: crushed morocco for, 17
: first use of leather for, 14
: gold-tooled leather, 14
: mosaic leather, 14
: pigskin in, 17-18
: report of Committee on leather for, 90-95
: vellum in, 18
Boudaroy: Fougeroux de
: remarks on leather hangings, 84-86
: recipe for golden varnish, 86-87
Bronzes, 35, 68, 73, 74, 78
Browns, 65
Brush
: couch-grass, 70
: flannel, for rubbing leather, 73
for gold leaf, 74
for powder colours, 74
for sprinkling, 70
for stencilling, 72
for tree marbling, 70
Buckthorn berries, 67
Burgundy: leather decoration in, 14
Burnishers, 63, 75
Calf leather, 16
: characteristics and methods of decorating, 17
: colouring, 69, 72
for modelling, 29
for mosaic, 43, 56
: monochrome mosaic on, 45
Canson paper, 45, 58
Cape morocco, 17, 42, 78
Cardboard
for use in cutting out inlay, 48
padding, 34
Carpets: leather, 81
Carthamine, 66
Carthamus Tinctorius, 66
Carton Jacquart, 45, 51
Carved leather, 16, 27-28
bookbinding, 14
: choice of design for, 27
: gold on, 27
in Dijon Museum, 14, 27
Carving
: leather for, 17
mosaic in relief, 61, 62
: tools for, 27
Cassaigre tannin, 16
Catechol, 65
Cathedral style, 27
Chairs: leather, 84
Chamois leather, 16
: use and methods of decorating, 18
Chestnut tannin, 16
Chinese vermilion, 74
Choice of design and colour, 76-79
Choice of skins, 15-18
Chromate of baryta, 66
Chromate of zinc, 66
Coal-tar, 66
Cochineal, 66
Coffers: leather, 77-79, 82
: choice of design for, 78
: mosaic for, 78
: mounting leather for, 78
: outlining design for, 78
: padding relief for, 78
: punched groundwork for, 78
Colour
: applying, to leather, 68-69
: choice of design and, 76-79
: combination of, 76-77
: for groundwork, 68, 77
: influence of light on, of leather, 16, 64
: influence of tanning process on, of leather, 15-16, 64
: introduction of, into decoration of leather hangings, 81
Colouring
absorbent leather, 69
calf leather, 69, 72
cut leather, 26-27
hollows of cut and punched leather, 27, 35, 65, 68, 73-74, 78
: leather for, 69
leather for mosaic, 42, 69
leather: methods of, 68-75
modelled leather, 71-72
monochrome mosaic on calf, 45
morocco leather, 69
mosaic in relief, 62
oxhide, 69
pigskin, 69
sheepskin, 16
split sheepskins, 69
tinfoil to give it the appearance of being gilt, 89
Colours
based on albumen, 67
based on glycerine, 67
for leather work, 64-68
for stencilling, 72
: oil, 67, 83
: powder, used with varnish, 73-74
: spirit, 67
: water, 67
Composition of ornament, 77-79
Copper nails: leather ornamented with, 84
Copper-plate etching on leather, 39
Cordouans, 80
Cordwainer, 14
Cork padding, 34
Cotton cord padding, 34
Couch-grass whisk, 70
Cowhide, 16
: characteristics and methods of decorating, 17
for mosaic in relief, 61
Cuir bouilli, 28
Cushion for gold leaf, 74
Cut leather, 16, 25-27
: colouring, 26-27
: colouring hollows of, 27 68, 73-74
: opening the outline of, 23, 25-26
Cutting
: leather for, 17
stamped leather, 39
Cutting out
incrusted mosaic, 62-63
inlay: cardboard for use in, 48
inlay for mosaic, 46-49
inlay for mosaic in relief, 61
inlay for polychrome mosaic, 58-59
open-work leather, 40
Cutting-out knives, 40, 46-48
Damping leather, 19-20
Decolorants, 70-71, 76
on modelled leather, 71-72
: tracing design for, 71
Design
based on chestnut tree, 76
based on sea subjects, 76
: detached portions of leather in, 77
: choice of, for bookbinding, 77
: choice of, for carved leather, 27
: choice of, for coffers, 77
: choice of, for large surfaces, 79
: choice of, for marbled leather, 77
: choice of, for modelled leather, 77
in leather hangings and furniture, 82-84
: Japanese school of, 79
: study of, 79
Design and colour: choice of, 76-79
Dijon Museum: examples of carved leather in, 14, 27
Dollage de gants padding, 34
Dyes, 64-74
: aniline, stability of, 64
: superposed, 65, 68, 76
: uncertain effect of, on leather, 77
: vegetable, stability of, 64
Embossed leather, _see_ Modelled leather
Encaustic: rubbing leather with, 65, 72-73
England: manufacture of leather hangings and furniture in, 83, 85
Engraved leather, _see_ Cut leather
Europe: introduction of decorated leather into, 13, 14, 80
Flanders: manufacture of leather hangings and furniture in, 83, 85
France
: introduction of gilt or silvered leather hangings into, 85
: manufacture of leather hangings and furniture in, 85
: popularity of leather hangings and furniture in, 84
Garlande: Jehan de, author, 80
Germany: leather decoration in, 14
Ghadames: leather industry at, 80
Gilding, 74-75, 80-81, 83, 86
: bookbinders’ tools for, 75
: decline of art, 84-86
outline of incrusted mosaic, 63
: process described by Theophilus, 80-81
Gilt leather chairs, 84
Gilt or silvered leather hangings and furniture, 84, 85-86
Gilt panel for painting on, 87-88
Gloves for protecting hands from dyes, 68
Glycerine
: colours based on, 67
inks, 72
Gobelin tapestries: leather hangings and furniture replaced by, 84
Gold, 68, 83
groundwork: origin of, 87
leaf, 28, 74-75, 83
leaf: brush for, 74
leaf: cushion for, 74
leaf first employed on leather hangings and furniture, 83
leaf: knife for, 74
: liquid, 75
on carved and embossed leather, 27
powder, 73, 74, 75
: punches used on, 28, 75
: shell, 28, 74, 75
: want of moderation in the use of, 87
Golden varnish
: recipe for (Boudaroy), 86-87
: recipe for (Theophilus), 88
Gold-tooled leather bookbinding, 14
Gold-tooling, 28, 74-75
: powder for, 74
Gouache, 35, 68, 73, 74, 78
Grating: sprinkling, 70
Greens, 66, 67, 74
Greys, 65
Hammered leather, 16, 28
Hammering: leather for, 17
Hematoxylin, 66
Heraldic decoration on leather, 14, 83
Holland: manufacture of leather hangings in, 85
Hydrochloric acid, 30, 66, 71
Incising, 20-24, 26
for inserted mosaic, 60
for modelled leather, 22, 30
knives, 15, 20-24
oxhide, 22
slanting cut, 23, 24
Indigo, 67
Inks
containing nitrate of silver, 72
for stamping leather, 39
for stencilling, 72
: glycerine, 72
Inlaid leather, _see_ Mosaic leather
Japanese school of design, 79
Kip-skins, 61
Knives
: cutting-out, 40, 46-48
: gold, 74
: incising, 15, 20-24
: paring, 43
: stencil-cutter’s, 46, 61
Leather
: absorbent quality of, 64-65
bed-furniture, 84
carpets, 81
chairs, 84
coffers, 77-79, 82
decoration in Burgundy, 14
decoration in dress, 13
decoration in Germany, 14
decoration in Spain, 13, 14, 80
decoration in style of Bérain, 84
decoration in the past, 13-14
decoration in war-like equipment, 13
decoration: introduction into Europe, 13, 14, 80
: first use of, for bookbinding, 14
hangings and furniture, 80-89
: heraldic decoration on, 14, 83
industry at Ghadames, 80
: methods of working in, 16, 19-41
: report of Committee on, for bookbinding, 90-95
: Spanish, 84
: varieties of, 16
Light: influence of, on colour of leather, 16, 64
Lignereux: Mons. de Saint André de, author of _Le Cuir d’Art français_,
28
Lithographic stone, 15, 44
Logwood, 66
Lyons: manufacture of gilt or silvered leather hangings at, 85
Madder, 66
Marble: slab of, 15, 44
Marbled leather: choice of design for, 77
Marbling, 69-70
: tree, 70
Metal block for stamping leather, 39
Metal ornaments on leather hangings, 81
Metallic salts, 66
Mimosa tannin, 16
Modelled leather, 16, 28-36
: choice of design for, 77
: colouring, 71-72
: decolorants on, 71-72
: incising for, 22, 30
in hangings and furniture, 83
: introduction into Venice, 14
: opening the outline of, 26, 29, 32, 33-34
: softening the outline of, 32-33
with punched background, 16, 28, 34-36
Modellers, 15, 29, 30, 38
Modelling, 30-34
: ball-shaped steel tool for, 31, 32
: leather for, 17, 29, 61
leather on plaster cast, 39-40
mosaic in relief, 61
reed decoration, 34
: sandbag for, 32
stamped leather, 39
: tools for, 29-32
: tracing design for, 32, 33
: wax for, 33-34
Mordants, 67
Morocco leather, 16
: Cape, 17, 42, 78
: characteristics and methods of decorating, 17
: colouring, 69
: crushed, 17
for mosaic, 42, 58, 59
: grain of, 17
groundwork: pasting inlay on, 59
groundwork: polychrome mosaic on, 58-59
groundwork: tool for sticking inlay on, 59, 60
: paring, for inlay of polychrome mosaic, 58-59
: tanning materials used for, 15
Mosaic, 16, 42-63
bookbinding, 14
: calf leather for, 43, 56
: colouring leather for, 42, 69
: cutting out inlay for, 46-49
for coffers, 78
: incrusted, 62-63
: incrusted, cutting out, 62-63
: incrusted, gilding outline of, 63
: incrusted, outlining, 63
: incrusted, tracing design for, 62
in relief, 61-62
in relief: carving, 61, 62
in relief: colouring, 62
in relief: cowhide for, 61
in relief: cutting out inlay for, 61
in relief: depressing groundwork for inlay of, 61
in relief: leather for, 61
in relief: modelling, 61
in relief: tracing design for, 61
: inserted, 59-60
: inserted, incising leather for, 60
: inserted, outlining, 60
: leather for groundwork of, 17, 42-43
: leather for inlay of, 45
: monochrome, on calf, 45
: morocco leather as groundwork of, 42, 58, 59
: mounting inlay on paper lining for, 45-46
on modelled leather, 59
on modelled leather: paring leather for, 59
: outlining, 52-56
: pasting inlay on groundwork for, 49-50, 59
: paring leather for, 43-44
: pincers for, 50
: polishing, 56, 57
: polychrome, 57-59
: polychrome, cutting out inlay for, 58-59
: polychrome, morocco leather as inlay for, 58
: polychrome, on morocco groundwork, 58-59
: polychrome, outlining, 59
: polychrome, paring morocco leather for inlay of, 58-59
: polychrome, split sheepskins for, 58
: polychrome, stencil for marking out, 58
: polychrome, tracing design for, 57-58
: preparation of leather for groundwork of, 43-45
: removing paper lining from inlay of, 52
: roller for, 50, 51
: setting in the inlay of, 50-52
: tracing design for, 46
Mosaics of piqué leather, 13
Mosaïque par incrustation, _see_ Incrusted mosaic
Muriatic acid, 71
Nitrate of silver: inks containing, 72
Nitric acid, 71
Oak tannin, 15, 16
Oil colours, 67, 83
Openers, 15, 23, 25-26
Opening the outline
of cut leather, 23, 25-26
of modelled leather, 26, 29, 32, 33-34
Open-work leather, 16, 18, 40, 41
: cutting out, 40
: groundwork for, 18, 40, 41
hangings, 40
in relief, 40
: plaited ornament on borders of, 40-41
Or basané, 83, 84
Outliners, 52-56
Outlining
design for coffers, 78
incrusted mosaic, 63
inserted mosaic, 60
mosaic, 52-56
polychrome mosaic, 59
Outlining-wheels, 15, 35, 54, 56, 63
Oxalic acid, 71
Oxhide, 16
: characteristics and methods of decorating, 17
: colouring, 69
: incising, 22
Padding relief, 34, 40
for coffers, 78
Panel: gilt, for painting on, 87-88
Paring knives, 43
Paring leather, 43-44
for inlay of polychrome mosaic, 58-59
for mosaic on modelled leather, 59
Paste: recipe for, for mounting leather on wooden panels (Theophilus),
82
Patine, 30, 64, 67, 72
Patines grasses, 67
Pearl-ash, 65
Pencils: 6H graphite, 15, 20
Permanganate of potash, 65
Pictures on leather, 82, 84
Picric acid, 66, 67, 68
Pied de biche, 30
Pigskin, 16
: characteristics and methods of decorating, 17-18
: colouring, 69
: in bookbinding, 17-18
Pincers for mosaic, 50
Pinks, 66
Piqué leather: mosaics of, 13
Plaited ornament on borders of open-work leather, 40-41
Plaster cast: modelling leather on, 39-40
Plaster casts for stamping leather, 39
Plaster padding, 40
Pointogravure, 16, 38
: tools for, 38
Polishing iron, 56, 57
Polishing mosaic, 56, 57
Pompon, 72
Portugal: manufacture of leather hangings and furniture in, 83
Potash, 65, 66, 68, 69, 73, 77
Potash-lye, 65
Potassium, 65
Powder colours,
: brush for, 74
used with varnish, 73-74
Presses for stamping leather, 38, 39
Pressing leather after pasting, 45
Punched backgrounds, _see_ Punched groundwork
Punched groundwork, 16, 28, 34-36
for coffers, 78
in leather hangings and furniture, 83
: modelled leather with, 16, 28, 34-36
Punched leather, 16, 28
: colouring hollows of, 35, 65, 68, 73-74, 78
Punches, 15, 28, 35, 78, 83
: patterns produced with, 35
used on gold, 28, 75
Pyrogravure, 16, 27, 28, 36-37
: apparatus for, 36-37
: leather for, 17, 18
: outlining incrusted mosaic by, 63
Quercitron, 66
Réaumur: Mons. de, 84, 86, 88
Red wood: extracts of, 66
Reds, 66
Reed decoration, 34
: padding for, 34
: tool for working, 34
Reserved ornament, 71-72
: colour for groundwork of, 77
Roller for mosaic, 50, 51
Rubbing leather, 36, 65, 67, 72-74, 77
: flannel brush for, 73
with encaustic, 65, 72-73
with varnish, 72-73
with wax, 72-73
Russia leather, 16
: characteristics and methods of decorating, 17
for modelling, 29
Saffron, 66
Salts
: metallic, 66
of tin, 66
Sandbag for modelling, 32
Scraper, 46
Semis, 35
Setting in the inlay of mosaic, 50-52
Shaded groundwork, 42, 69
Sheepskin, 16
: characteristics and methods of decorating, 16, 17
: colouring, 16
Shell gold, 28, 74, 75
Shell silver, 74
Silver
leaf, 86
powder, 74
: shell, 74
: use of, on leather, 83
Skins: choice of, 15-18
Soda, 65
Spain
: leather decoration in, 13, 14, 80
: manufacture of leather hangings and furniture in, 83, 85
: introduction of leather hangings and furniture into, 80
Spanish leather, 84
Spirit colours, 67
Split sheepskins
: colouring, 69
for inlaying, 45, 56
for polychrome mosaic, 58
Sprinkling, 70-71
: brush for, 70
: grating for, 70
: preparation for reserving ornament during (Belleville), 71
: tracing design for, 71
: vaporiser for, 71
Stamped leather, 16, 38-40
chairs, 84
: cutting, 39
in hangings and furniture, 83, 84
: introduction into Venice, 14
: modelling, 39
Stamping leather, 38-40
: inks for, 39
: presses for, 38, 39
with copper-plate, 39
with metal block, 39
with plaster casts, 39
with stencil, 38
Stearine: plaster casts prepared with, 39
Steel clamps for holding leather, 31
Stencil-cutter’s knife, 46, 61
Stencilling, 72
: brush for, 72
: inks for, 72
: leather for, 18
Stone: lithographic, 15, 44
Study of design, 79
Sulphate of iron, 65, 67, 68, 69, 76
Sulphuric acid, 71
Sumach tannin, 15
Superposed dyes, 65, 68, 76
Tanning materials, 15, 16
Tanning process, 15
: influence of, on colour of leather, 15-16, 64
: leather prepared to receive dyes by the, 67
Theophilus, author of _Diversarum Artium Schedula_
: process of gilding described by, 80-81
: recipe for colouring tinfoil to give it the appearance of being
gilt, 89
: recipe for golden varnish, 88
: recipe for paste for mounting leather on wooden panels, 82
Tools, 16
: bookbinders’, for gilding, 75
: effect of acids on steel, 30
for carving, 27
for modelling, 29-32
for pointogravure, 38
for pyrogravure, 36-37
for sticking inlay on morocco groundwork, 59, 60
for working reed decoration, 34
Tracing design, 19-20
for decolorants, 71
for incrusted mosaic, 62
for modelling, 32, 33
for mosaic, 46
for mosaic in relief, 61
for polychrome mosaic, 57-58
for sprinkling, 71
on flesh side of leather, 32, 33
Tracing-point, 15, 20
Tree marbling, 70
: brush for, 70
Turmeric, 66
Van Orley, painter, 83, 87-88
Vaporiser for sprinkling, 71
Varnish
: recipe for golden (Boudaroy), 86-87
: recipe for golden (Theophilus), 88
: rubbing leather with, 72-73
: use of, with powder colours, 73-74
Vegetable dyes: stability of, 64
Vellum, 16
: characteristics and methods of decorating, 18
in bookbinding, 18
Venice
: introduction of modelled and stamped leather into, 14
: manufacture of leather hangings and furniture in, 83, 85
Vermilion: Chinese, 74
Water-colours, 67
Wax
for modelling, 33-34
padding, 34
: rubbing leather with, 72-73
Wheels
: outlining, 15, 35, 54, 56, 63
: patterns produced with, 35
Xanthin, 65
Yellows, 66
Zinc: chromate of, 66
Butler & Tanner, The Selwood Printing Works, Frome, and London.
* * * * *
TRANSCRIBER’S AMENDMENTS
Transcriber’s Note: Blank pages have been deleted. Some illustrations have
been moved and the corresponding entries in the lists of illustrations
updated. Footnotes have been moved to follow the referencing paragraph.
The publisher’s inadvertent omissions of important punctuation have been
corrected. Duplicative front matter has been removed.
The following list indicates any additional changes made. The page number
represents that of the original publication and applies in this etext
except for footnotes and illustrations since they may have been moved.
Key: {<from>}[<to>]:
Page Change
- {_To face Page_}[_Page_]
12 painted and gilt calf. _Le Roman de Tristan et {Iseul}[Iseut]._
56 of wood covered with embossed leather, _cuir {bouill}[bouilli]_.
83 of repeating ornament for figures and {landscopes}[landscapes].
* * * * *
End of Project Gutenberg's The Decoration of Leather, by Georges de Récy