Leather finishes
The word 'shagreen' originates from the French chagrin, originally defined as 'rough and granular skin employed to rub, polish, file'.
The word later became a metaphor for gnawing trouble, in reference to the rasping surface of the leather. Initially 'shagreen' referenced the roughened, untanned skin from the rump of a horse, or an ass. Plant seeds were spread over the soft untreated skin, which was then covered with cloth and trampled on. When the skin dried, the seeds were shaken off, leaving a pebbled surface. By the turn of the17th century, the term was applied to shark and stingray skin. Both species have closely set calcified scales, which, when dried, ground and polished, become the naturally textured skin known as shagreen. It is coincidence really, that this highly prized leather was traditionally dyed green.
Stingrays, those 'winged phantoms of the deep', have captured the mind and imagination for centuries. Early civilizations believed the stingray brought strength and power to anyone who handled it. Some species have backbones as unique as fingerprints, resembling a string of pearls, once thought to bring good luck and prosperity to the bearer. Egyptians prized stingray skin for its singular beauty and durability, fashioning armor and decorative items with it. Japanese Samurai used the raw skins on their armor as well as on the handles of their swords to ensure a solid grip. It was used on trunks and coffers in China and Korea. Fishermen were known to use the naturally abrasive skin in boat building, as a substitute for sandpaper.
A master leatherworker in the court of Louis XV, by the name of Jean - Claude Galuchat, first popularized the use of stingray leather, using it as veneer on a variety of items including sheaths, wig cases, perfume flacons, sewing and snuff boxes. In France the material was named after him, Galuchat. But it was the English artisan John Paul Cooper who, in the late 1800s, early 1900s, elevated this exotic leather to the status of luxury material. Cooper designed and produced hundreds of unique artefacts elaborate boxes, vases, candlesticks, knife boxes, canteens, clocks, small pocket and presentation cases, toilet sets, mirrors, pouchettes, frames. He combined shagreen with other materials, most notably sterling silver. Many of Cooper's finest pieces are preserved in museum collections, the prestigious Victoria & Albert Museum principal among them.
Of shagreen the artisan John Paul Cooper wrote, It is 'a material possessing some of the qualities of both Mother of pearl and leather. Its little nodules of concentric rings gives one, when the skin is particularly translucent, the feeling of looking deep down into a pool of sea green water.' The qualities for which this fine leather is valued are also what make it so difficult to work with. Its combination of extreme hardness and supple softness requires great patience and skill during each of the painstaking steps necessary to produce a flawless end product.
Stingrays evolved from sharks more than 200 million years ago. They populate the shallow coastal waters of temperate seas along the Pacific Rim. Their remarkably durable, multi-patterned and coloured skin -commonly reflecting the shading of the sea floor is among the finest material used in the decorative arts. Hard and granular when dried, the skin is ground down leaving a roughened but no longer sharp surface, with rounded pale protrusions. The tanning process makes the skin soft and pliable without compromising its incredible durability. Once polished, shagreen's unique surface texture captures and plays with light.
Care suggestions
General care
Use a vacuum cleaner, or a clean, dry brush.
Shagreen
Shagreen is sensitive to oil, grease and liquids. Clean directly with a soft sponge and a little water. Dry gently with a smooth cotton cloth. In the event of a grease stain, we regret to say there is not much you can do to remove it.
Parchment
The parchment used for inlay is protected with varnish and therefore less sensitive. But please avoid exposing it to water or other liquids as much as possible.
