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BULGAR,
BOLGAR , s. P. bulghār. The general Asiatic name for what we call
'Russia leather,' from the fact that the region of manufacture and export was
originally Bolghār on the Volga, a kingdom which stood for many
centuries, and gave place to Kazan in the beginning of the 15th century. The
word was usual also among Anglo-Indians till the beginning of last century, and
is still in native Hindustani use. A native (mythical) account of the
manufacture is given in Baden - Powell's Punjab Handbook, 1872, and this
fanciful etymology: "as the scent is derived from soaking in the pits (ghār),
the leather is called Balghār" (p. 124).
1298. -- "He
bestows on each of those 12,000 Barons . . . likewise a pair of boots of Borgal,
curiously wrought with silver thread." -- Marco Polo, 2nd ed. i.
381. See also the note on this passage.
c. 1333. -- "I wore
on my feet boots (or stockings) of wool; over these a pair of linen lined, and
over all a thin pair of Borghāli, i.e. of horse-leather
lined with wolf skin."-<-> Ibn Batuta, ii. 445.
[1614. -- "Of your Bullgaryan
hides there are brought hither some 150." -- Foster, Letters, iii.
67.]
1623. -- Offer of
Sheriff Freeman and Mr. Coxe to furnish the Company with "Bulgary
red hides." -- Court Minutes, in Sainsbury, iii. 184.
1624. -- "Purefy
and Hayward, Factors at Ispahan to the E. I. Co., have bartered morse-teeth and
'bulgars' for carpets."-<-> Ibid. p. 268.
1673. -- "They
carry also Bulgar-Hides, which they form into Tanks to bathe themselves.
" -- Fryer, 398.
c. 1680. --
"Putting on a certain dress made of Bulgar-leather, stuffed with
cotton. " -- Seir Mutaqherin, iii. 387.
1759. -- Among expenses
on account of the Nabob of Bengal's visit to Calcutta we find:
"To 50 pair of Bulger
Hides at 13 per pair, Rs. 702:0:0." -- Long, 193.
1786. -- Among "a
very capital and choice assortment of Europe goods" we find "Bulgar
Hides." -- Cal. Gazette, June
1811. -- "Most of
us furnished at least one of our servants with a kind of bottle, holding nearly
three quarts, made of bulghár . . . or Russia - leather." --
W. Ousely's Travels, i. 247.
In Tibetan the word is bulhari.