The Decoration of Leather / From the French of Georges de Récy

by Georges de Récy

LEATHER FOR GROUNDWORK

Any skin may be used for the groundwork of leather mosaic, but morocco, and especially the kind called Cape morocco, is generally preferred, because of the grained surface which shows up the inlaid decoration to the best advantage.

Other skins, however, with either dull or glossy surfaces make good backgrounds for mosaic decoration, and as they are generally fawn coloured, they may first be stained to produce shaded groundwork very attractive in effect.

The old masters of leather mosaic made great use of fawn-coloured calf, occasionally adding a touch of coloured lacquer to bring out the light parts of the design.