Russia leather

American  

noun

1. a fine, smooth leather produced by careful tanning and dyeing, especially in dark red: originally prepared in Russia.

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Russia leather British  

noun

1. a smooth dyed leather made from calfskin and scented with birch tar oil, originally produced in Russia

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Etymology

Origin of Russia leather

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

Suddenly the front door opened, the library bell rang sharply, and in came a nimble little fellow, capering and stamping, and exhaling an aroma of Russia leather and Parma violets.

From The Song of Songs by Sudermann, Hermann

It was an ordinary eighteen-inch Russia leather traveling-bag, tan in color, and with gold-plated mountings.

From The Window at the White Cat by Rinehart, Mary Roberts

The police got on, raided the place, and found, among others, our Russia leather bag.

From The Window at the White Cat by Rinehart, Mary Roberts

Conspicuous upon it was lying a letter-case of Russia leather.

From The Shooting of Dan McGrew, A Novel Based on the Famous Poem of Robert Service by Dana, Marvin Hill

By dry distillation the bark yields an empyreumatic oil, called diogott in Russia, used in the preparation of Russia leather; to this oil the peculiar pleasant odour of the leather is due.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Slice 7 "Bible" to "Bisectrix" by Various