A deep oxblood brown vellum tile with smoky, ink-dark blooms and a rich, aged warmth. It has the mood of antique leather-bound books and old atelier surfaces - dramatic, tactile, and quietly luxurious.

Vellum, also referred to as parchment, is usually made from goat and calf skin and has had many applications over the last 1500 years. Its uses varied from map making, early book binding and a plain surface to simply write on.

Turning the skins from leather to vellum is a complex and time consuming process, resulting in a beautiful, translucent, smooth and very durable material. No two skins are the same, with each one having its own markings and character.

Mastering the techniques needed to colour and work with this magical material takes many years as the skin’s original state is not dissimilar to that of a drum, crinkly and dry.

Oxblood Patina is coloured to a burnished red-brown base, then worked to introduce darker tonal clouds that drift across the surface like smoke. The finish carries a subtle, low sheen and a soft translucency, with natural skin markings and gentle mottling that make each tile feel unique. The overall effect is bold but not glossy, with depth that builds as you look longer.

In the 1920's, vellum was used by some of the pioneering French furniture designers such as Jean-Michel Frank, Jaques Adnet and Paul Dupre-Lafon to name just a few. They mixed the skins with oak, bronze and other materials such as shagreen to create some stunning pieces. Later in the 50's and 60's Aldo Turo from Italy started colouring the skins with beautiful results.

Format

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  Tile format available (sizes and mounting options on request)

  
  


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  Coloured vellum / parchment finish

  
  

Recommended Uses
Furniture cladding, cabinet doors, wall panels, bar fronts, drawer fronts, and decorative inlay sections (application dependent).