Sentence:  ... I received some bales of leather, that when I sent them to the Currier's to wax them, they having been at the Currier's before, as they came up in the <WSD>russet</WSD> state, when I had sent them back to be waxed, he sent me back word they were so badly tanned, and so burnt in the tanning, he could not recommend them, ... 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  The condition of leather when its treatment is complete, but it is not yet colored (stained) and polished.