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Shagreen

sha·​green | sha-ˈgrēn

noun

The skin of a ray or shark from the waters around China, usually stained green or another color

Shagreen is a type of skin derived from certain types of animals, including horses, onagers, and more commonly sharks or rays. The word is originally French, deriving from the Turkish for “rump of a horse” and the type of skin is often rougher than traditional leathers. In use, shagreen is often dyed any of a number of colors, green being very common, but not exclusive. Shagreen can be used in a variety of different applications as well, including boxes, hilts and sheaves for knives, book bindings, and more. While not as common today as it was a century ago, shagreen is still used in some decorative cases, including for jewelry cases and vide poche.

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