Superior Quality Late Edo Period Gilt Leather Tobacco Pouch "Gilt leather," also known as "Kinkarakawa," is a legendary leather craft. It originated in Europe several hundred years ago. The process involved tanning leather, pressing it with molds, and then coloring it. It was prized by nobles as a substitute for wallpaper. In Japan, during the Edo period, remnants of this leather craft were imported, and wealthy merchants repurposed them as tobacco pouches. It is said that these pouches were worth enough to buy an entire tenement house at the time. *Please note that antique items may have stains and minor scratches due to age and use. Sold as is.