"Black Lead Background" (on Jaeger)

[Story]

Greetings, all
How is the 'black lead background' described below applied?

http://www.ambroseantiques.com/images/guns/flongarms/1685hanskeiner.jpg
RARE GERMAN FLINTLOCK HUNTING CARBINE by HANS KEINER, ERGER, ca. 1685: Molded hardwood full butt-stock with raised comb. Deeply chiseled steel mounts in a baroque scroll pattern with black lead background. Swamped octagonal rifled 10 3/4" barrel deeply chiseled throughout en suite, with three-stage rear sight and signed at the tang Hans Keiner, Erger. Steel side plate engraved in same manner with a depiction of a bare-breasted female figure playing kettle drums. Articulated trigger guard also engraved. Steel butt plate engraved with Coat of Arms consisting of a round-shield, bow, arrow and quiver. Lock plate deeply engraved throughout and retains all its black lead background. Hammer of very early form with a long spur atop for cocking. In overall excellent condition retaining nearly all its finish throughout. Original steel ramrod. Length overall 24,"
Hans Keiner of Erger, Prussia, ca. 1677, is best known for his heavily chiseled wheelock arms. Examples of his work are exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Castle Osterstein, in Germany. Keiner is considered one of the best German gunsmiths of his time. See J. F. Hayward The Art of the Gunmaker vol. 2 1660-1830.

 

[Bill Bounds]

Hi:
I googled black lead 'images". It showed up as stove polish applyed to a stove to make it a deep black color.

 

[2172]

I grew up in a house where the main kitchen stove was a coal-fired Thatcher (pat. 1895) ....my grandmother, b.1861, gave the stove a weekly coat of stove blacking. In the north of England, where she grew up, it was used to polish the stiff leather clogs that all working class people wore, and to polish the fireplace "hobs"... I know it was in use here in the US as late as 1939...Hank

 

[Zonie]

With the dirty, filthy, pollution causing, bird killing, poison element known as LEAD in it, it has most likely been banned in the US. If you could buy some, three guys in air tight bag suits with breathing tanks on the back would follow you home. ::

When was the last time you ever heard of White Lead which was used as a lubricant in the old days?

 

[Story]

Thanks for the responses.
Stove blacking would not seem to be a very durable application for a weapon exposed to the elements.