To dress or cover LEATHER with Silver or Gold. Take brown-red; grind or move it on a stone with a muller, adding water and chalk; and when the latter is dissolved, rub or lightly daub the leather over with it, till it looks a little whitish; and then lay on the leaf-silver or gold before the leather is quite dry, laying the leaves a little over each other, that there may not be the least part uncovered; and when they have well closed with the leather, and are sufficiently dried on and hardened, rub them over with an ivory polisher, or the foretooth of a horse.
By several statutes, regulations are made for the tanning and manufacturing of leather; and by the 27th Geo. III. c. 13. a duty is laid upon all hides and skins imported, and drawbacks allowed on the exportation thereof. Several duties are also imposed on hides and skins tanned in Great Britain, of what kind soever, as
set forth in schedules annexed to the said act. By the 23 Geo. III. c. 37. further regulations are made respecting the said duties, which are under the management of the officers of excise.