patent leather
A cattle or horse hide, which is coated, usually
on the flesh side, with a flexible, waterproof
film having a lustrous and highly glazed surface
produced by successive coatings of daubs,
varnishes, and lacquers, some of which may be
pigmented. These were formerly based on boiled
linseed oil ("Japanning") but some or all may now
consist partly or entirely of plasticized
cellulose nitrate and/or plastic resins. (351 , 363 )
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