leather-hard

[ leth-er-hahrd ]

adjective

1. (of ceramic clay) moist but not sufficiently so to be plastic.

Word History and Origins

Origin of leather-hard¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

They were at the stage the potters called “leather-hard”— dried by the air but not yet glazed or fired.

From Literature

With an incising awl, he inscribed the leather-hard clay—a simple chrysanthemum design, far cruder than much of the elaborate incision work for which the potters of Ch’ulp’o were known.

From Literature

The outline of the design was first etched lightly into the leather-hard clay with the finest point.

From Literature

I’ve watched the video half a dozen times now, and with each viewing I’m nearly overcome by some new intricacy: the cleverly perforated clay disk that becomes the floor of the kiln, suspending the leather-hard tiles neatly above the fire; the small tabs that allow the tiles to be hooked onto the roof beams, so they don’t slide out of place.

From New York Times

The answer: Each sculpture is built up slab by slab, then allowed to dry to a "leather-hard" state.

From Seattle Times