DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1399#0182
PLATE 259.
ORNAMENTAL LEATHER-WORK,
FKOM MONTE-VIDEO, BRAZIL, HUNGARY, AND THE CAUCASUS.
SOUTH America and Mexico have always been famous for their ornamental leather trappings
for horse and man. The ancient traditions of the Moors, celebrated for their works in this
material during the Middle Ages, seem to have been carried over to the new continent by the
Spaniards and Portuguese, whose admixture with native races would appear to have produced
workmen especially adapted for minute ornamental work. The Brazilian saddle was covered
with stamped and raised devices on a pounced ground, relieved with green, yellow, red, and
blue, and the arms of the present emperor, with his monogram, D. P. II. The Monte-Videan
saddle was covered with a raised pattern on a strongly-pounced ground, the silver stirrups
being very cleverly designed in the form of a coronet. The curves of the arabesque ornament
were peculiarly graceful, and bore a close resemblance to the totumas, or calabashes, elaborately
and very delicately carved by the native Indians in slight relief. A remarkable example of
their deftness in this class of work was to be seen in the totuma carved with an ordinary
penknife by an Indian at San Carlos, in the province of Cojedes, and presented to Mr. P. L.
Davis by Pedro Castillo.
Among other noticeable objects from South America were to be remarked a painted
earthenware ewer and basin made in the province of Amazonas, which bore a close resemblance
to the Algerian ware of the same class. The open-cut and stamped leather-work from Peru,
and many of the Indian-made objects, amongst which we especially noticed the filigree baskets,
&c, made at Lima and Ayacucho, known as "Briscado" work: one piece, exhibited by Mrs.
Kendall, was over two feet in height, the most remarkable for size and delicacy of workmanship
of any, probably, in the Exhibition, although not noticed by the Jury.
Hungary contributed several good examples of ornamental leather trappings, harness, &c.
"We have selected a portmanteau covered with the skin of a horse's head, combined with
braided leather and colour, porcelain knops, and metal mounts,—a very ingeniously-contrived
work, distinguished also by much natural taste in ornamentation. The same remarks apply to
the skin and leather-embroidered flask and the hunting-bag contributed by Baron Sina. The
embossed leather quiver and legging from the Caucasus bear the peculiar stamp of semi-
oriental art, and the water-bottle with its covering in embroidered morocco leather is a fair
example of ordinary Egyptian work from Cairo. Either because these objects were not of
sufficient importance as manufactured leather, or because decorative art as applied to that
material did not come within the scope of the international Jury of Class 26, they appear to
have been passed by without any comment; nevertheless, it must be admitted that they present
many points of artistic interest, and may well serve to afford hints to our own manufacturers in
respect to decorative leather-work; as examples of which, indeed, to our mind, the saddles which .
we have illustrated from Brazil and Uruguay were about the most meritorious in the Exhibition.
Since writing our articles on bookbinding we have met with some notices relating to the
subject which will serve to render it more complete. In England, as abroad, the bookbinder's
business appears to have been a special trade at an earlier period than is generally received.
"We have already noticed special bookbinders in France in the 14th and 15th centuries, and we
meet also with the name of Robert Bukebinder, A.D. 1395, in the fabric rolls of York Minster,
edited by Mr. Raine for the Surtees Society, and quoted by Mr. Wyatt in his interesting work
on the art of illuminating. In Rymer's " Foedera," vol. IX. p. 335, will be found an account
for covering the books of Henry V., A.D. 1416. Strype tells us that Archbishop Parker in
the 16th century had within his house "in wages, drawers (of pictures) and cutters (engravers),
painters, limners, writers, and bookbinders." In Queen Anne's reign, we read in " John Dunton's
Life and Errors" that no binding in London would serve but Mr. Steel's, " which for the
fineness and goodness of it might vie with the Cambridge binding; " and Horace "Walpole, in
his " Letters," vol. II. p. 329, writes: " I am told that they bind in vellum better at Dublin
than anywhere. Pray bring me one book of their binding as well as it can be done, and I
will not mind the price." We would also state that since writing the article appended to
Plate 187, we have met with a detailed account of the Russian leather manufacture in W. Tooke's
"View of the Russian Empire," published by Longman & Rees, A.D. 1799, vol. III. pp. 513
—542, which the reader might consult with advantage.
ORNAMENTAL LEATHER-WORK,
FKOM MONTE-VIDEO, BRAZIL, HUNGARY, AND THE CAUCASUS.
SOUTH America and Mexico have always been famous for their ornamental leather trappings
for horse and man. The ancient traditions of the Moors, celebrated for their works in this
material during the Middle Ages, seem to have been carried over to the new continent by the
Spaniards and Portuguese, whose admixture with native races would appear to have produced
workmen especially adapted for minute ornamental work. The Brazilian saddle was covered
with stamped and raised devices on a pounced ground, relieved with green, yellow, red, and
blue, and the arms of the present emperor, with his monogram, D. P. II. The Monte-Videan
saddle was covered with a raised pattern on a strongly-pounced ground, the silver stirrups
being very cleverly designed in the form of a coronet. The curves of the arabesque ornament
were peculiarly graceful, and bore a close resemblance to the totumas, or calabashes, elaborately
and very delicately carved by the native Indians in slight relief. A remarkable example of
their deftness in this class of work was to be seen in the totuma carved with an ordinary
penknife by an Indian at San Carlos, in the province of Cojedes, and presented to Mr. P. L.
Davis by Pedro Castillo.
Among other noticeable objects from South America were to be remarked a painted
earthenware ewer and basin made in the province of Amazonas, which bore a close resemblance
to the Algerian ware of the same class. The open-cut and stamped leather-work from Peru,
and many of the Indian-made objects, amongst which we especially noticed the filigree baskets,
&c, made at Lima and Ayacucho, known as "Briscado" work: one piece, exhibited by Mrs.
Kendall, was over two feet in height, the most remarkable for size and delicacy of workmanship
of any, probably, in the Exhibition, although not noticed by the Jury.
Hungary contributed several good examples of ornamental leather trappings, harness, &c.
"We have selected a portmanteau covered with the skin of a horse's head, combined with
braided leather and colour, porcelain knops, and metal mounts,—a very ingeniously-contrived
work, distinguished also by much natural taste in ornamentation. The same remarks apply to
the skin and leather-embroidered flask and the hunting-bag contributed by Baron Sina. The
embossed leather quiver and legging from the Caucasus bear the peculiar stamp of semi-
oriental art, and the water-bottle with its covering in embroidered morocco leather is a fair
example of ordinary Egyptian work from Cairo. Either because these objects were not of
sufficient importance as manufactured leather, or because decorative art as applied to that
material did not come within the scope of the international Jury of Class 26, they appear to
have been passed by without any comment; nevertheless, it must be admitted that they present
many points of artistic interest, and may well serve to afford hints to our own manufacturers in
respect to decorative leather-work; as examples of which, indeed, to our mind, the saddles which .
we have illustrated from Brazil and Uruguay were about the most meritorious in the Exhibition.
Since writing our articles on bookbinding we have met with some notices relating to the
subject which will serve to render it more complete. In England, as abroad, the bookbinder's
business appears to have been a special trade at an earlier period than is generally received.
"We have already noticed special bookbinders in France in the 14th and 15th centuries, and we
meet also with the name of Robert Bukebinder, A.D. 1395, in the fabric rolls of York Minster,
edited by Mr. Raine for the Surtees Society, and quoted by Mr. Wyatt in his interesting work
on the art of illuminating. In Rymer's " Foedera," vol. IX. p. 335, will be found an account
for covering the books of Henry V., A.D. 1416. Strype tells us that Archbishop Parker in
the 16th century had within his house "in wages, drawers (of pictures) and cutters (engravers),
painters, limners, writers, and bookbinders." In Queen Anne's reign, we read in " John Dunton's
Life and Errors" that no binding in London would serve but Mr. Steel's, " which for the
fineness and goodness of it might vie with the Cambridge binding; " and Horace "Walpole, in
his " Letters," vol. II. p. 329, writes: " I am told that they bind in vellum better at Dublin
than anywhere. Pray bring me one book of their binding as well as it can be done, and I
will not mind the price." We would also state that since writing the article appended to
Plate 187, we have met with a detailed account of the Russian leather manufacture in W. Tooke's
"View of the Russian Empire," published by Longman & Rees, A.D. 1799, vol. III. pp. 513
—542, which the reader might consult with advantage.