274 
ftERAMIC STUDIO 
Fig. 1— Tools for relief work on leather. 
CHISELED AND REPOUSSE LEATHER 
[From an Article in Art el Decoration by E. Belville.] 
IN no country has artistic decoration of leather met with 
more favor than in France. Among the many processes 
used, repousse work and its variety, chiseled work, are perhaps 
the most resourceful, well worthy of tempting true artists. 
We reproduce from the French Magazine, Art et Decoration, 
some practical information and illustrations by Mr. Eugene 
Belville, and we would advise those of our readers who under- 
stand French to secure his recently published book "Le cuir 
dans la decoration moderne — Ch. Schmidt, Editeur." 
The words chiseled and repousse indicate two phases of an 
identical process. Chiseled is applied to relief work obtained 
by cutting out of the thickness of the leather. It is confined 
to the outside part, and its highest plane remains that of the 
surface of the leather before work, while repousse" work obtains 
the relief effect by pushing from the flesh side, which makes 
the skin bulge out on the outside. 
Both processes can be used on all kinds of tanned skins, 
but not on skins which have been treated with fatty matters, 
as the latter prevent absorption of water, which is an essential 
condition for relief work on leather. As a rule pigskin is 
either too dry or too fat; oxskin, which is sometimes used, is 
too hard; sheepskin, very easy to work, is not solid enough 
and does not stand incising ; maroquin or goatskin has a 
coarse grain which retains too much the marks of the work. 
The different grades of cow and calfskins remain the most 
useful material. 
Tools are simple. They might be confined to a penknife 
and a metallic chisel, but there are a few other very conve- 
nient tools: The straight chisel (Fig. A) in metal and the 
tracing- point (Fig. B) can be on the same shaft. The point 
must be dull; vertically applied, it must make a slight cavity 
but not go through. The chisel must be of a long oval form, 
the sides and end must not be sharp. The penknife may be 
of any shape, but it must cut perfectly and not be flexible. 
The thickness of the blade is a matter of taste, as also the 
way to use the knife, some preferring to push the point for- 
ward, others to cut backward. 
The curved chisels (Fig. C, D, G, H) may have various 
forms and sizes. The deer foot (pied de biche, Fig. E, F), is 
useful for fine detail work. The ball (Fig. J and L), mounted 
on staff, is a most useful tool. Held vertically above the 
working table by a special vise (Fig. K). it is used to distend 
the leather for high relief. Mounted on a handle for hand- 
work, it is used to soften the modeling. It is advisable to 
have two sizes, one about one-eighth inch diameter, the other 
one-quarter or a little less. 
Then comes the outfit of stamps and indcnters (Fig. 
J, M, N) which are metal staffs, the ends of which are 
made so as to leave an impression on the leather by beat- 
\* 
' \fljt 
Fig. 2. Beginning of incised work. The i 
cut with the knife has been opened 
with *Ur nninl 
ith the point. 
Fig. 3. Begining of chiselled work. Design traced 
with the point. The background is lowered 
bv a slanting furrow all around the motif. 
>A 
iows the background 
iter. The motif is 
ill and the chisel. 
