veiny leather ( veined )
The colored pattern of arteries, veins, and other
blood vessels sometimes seen in parchment and
vellum, or even leather, where the pattern of the
larger vessels appears on the grain surface in the
form of indentations. In parchment and vellum it
is caused by insufficient removal of blood from
the vascular system of the skin while in the case
of leather it is due to bacterial degradation of
collagen fibers in the vicinities of the blood
vessels. Veininess usually results from the use of
skins of animals found dead of natural causes,
from improper or delayed curing after flaying, or
for some reason wherein the blood is not drained
from the animal immediately after slaughter. In
some cases, veininess can actually enhance the
beauty of vellum, especially if the blood vessels
form geometrical and/or attractive patterns. (291 , 363 )
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