sealskin n also sileskin, swileskin. Cp OED ~ 1 'skin of any of the Fur Seals' (1325-), DAE 1 (1790-) for sense 1.
1 The skin, with blubber removed, of any of the hair seals, esp harp and hooded seals.
1612 Willoughby Papers [Guy's Journal] 21 Oct We fownd theare a cupper kettle kepte very brighte, a furre gowne, some seale skinnes ane old sayle. [1693] 1793 REEVES xxix That nothing in this act shall extend. or be construed to extend. to give liberty of importing any such sealskins duty-free. [1745] 1976 HEAD 125 Truck our Goods for Skins, feathers and fish, and be sure you Gitt all the Sile Skins both dry and Pickled. 1792 PULLING MS Aug We got about a hundred deer skins made up in eight bundles and put each bundle on a swile's skin which served as a sledge to haul them on. 1810 STEELE 148 We recaptured the brig Bellona, laden with fish-oil and seal-skin. from Newfoundland. 1883 SHEA 11 Several descriptions of leather have been produced. which meet the wants of bookbinders and upholsterers as well as the former purpose of shoe-leather, to which, until recently, the Newfoundland sealskin was exclusively applieit. 1933 Nfld Royal Commission Report 95 Value of seal oil and seal skins exported: 1933 $328,371. 1957 Evening Telegram 6 July Like the feller that come here last spring bringin' swile skins.
2 Attrib sealskin boot [see SKINNY-WOPPER], ~ cap, ~ dicky [see DICKY2] , ~ dress, ~ mantle, ~ slipper.
1842 JUKES i, 266 I had heavy seal-skin boots on, coming half way up the thigh, which [were] now full of lolly [ice]. 1873 Maritime Mo i, 254 Seal-skin boots reaching to the knee, having a thick, leather sole, well nailed, to enable them to walk over the ice, protect the feet... Seal-skin caps. and tweed or moleskin trousers complete the costume. 1899 Tribune Christmas No 11 On our arrival at St John's we each supplied ourselves with a pair of those horrible, ill-smelling seal-skin boots, nasty things, but for which I know of no substitute. 1975 BUTLER 91 I was wet from above the knees to my waist, and I was wearing sealskin boots tied below the knees, so my feet were dry. 1912 HUTTON 187 Little Johannes pulled off his sealskin dicky. [1772] 1792 CARTWRIGHT i, 267 On landing at Westminster Bridge, we were immediately surrounded by a great concourse of people; attracted not only by the uncommon appearance of the Indians who were in their seal-skin dresses, but also by a beautiful eagle, and an Esquimau dog. 1923 CHAFE 30 Auxiliary Industries to preserve the skins and manufacture them into seal skin mantles. 1977 Inuit Land Use 221 During the winter, the women made sealskin mitts and boots to sell to traders on the fishing schooners the next summer. 1977 RUSSELL 32 He tells this story about how he got the pair of swileskin slippers that he's been wearin' now for nigh on thirty years.
