In my Illustrated Tolkien Encyclopedia, Orcs are described as having skin which was "black as wood that has been charred by flame".
Now, I don't yet have the letters, HoME volumes etc, so this is all I've got to go on for the time being, but the description must have come from somewhere in JRRT's writings.
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Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind!
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