The Stingray Leather (also called "Shagreen")
What’s the difference between the small-grained and coarse-grained stingray leather?
The term Stingray leather or “Shagreen” can be used to refer to two completely different types of leather: small-grained shagreen and coarse-grained shagreen. In this article, we’ll give you some answers to help you identify these two types of leather and understand why coarse-grained shagreen is considered “true shagreen”.
Small-grained shagreen
Small-grained shagreen essentially refers to the skin of the dogfish (Scyliorhinus caniculus for the small dogfish and Scyliorhinus stelaris for the large dogfish), a small shark found in almost all oceans, which is also known on our plates as the salmonette.
In the 18th century, this leather was mainly used to make the precious objects of the French nobility.
This leather was known as “Roussette” or “Rouffette” until around 1758, when it was renamed Galuchat around 1762*.
Small-grained shagreen (or dogfish skin) is also known as “Peau de Chagrin”, in reference to Balzac’s novel of the same name, published in 1831.
Perfume set, flaconnier, late 18th century in small-grained shagreen.
Small-grained shagreen can also be sourced from the dogfish (Squalus acanthias) found in abundance in all oceans, and from the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus).
Once the skin has been sanded and tinted, it is impossible to distinguish its origin with the naked eye.
*Le Galuchat, Jean Perfettini, édtions VIAL
Coarse-grained shagreen
Coarse-grained shagreen refers essentially to the skin of the stingray, particularly the Dasyatis Sephen species (which has 3 coarse grains in the center of the skin).
This species of ray is caught only in the Indo-Pacific.
In the 18th century, it was a rare and expensive skin to import, and it was Jean-Claude Galluchat (1689 – 1774), a Parisian master sheath-maker, who first made it famous in France, aided by the support of prestigious customers such as the Marquise de Pompadour.
Wallet in coarse-grained stingray.
It was coarse-grained shagreen that was later used in furniture, developed by Paul Iribe and Clément Rousseau during the Art Deco period.
Today, it’s mainly coarse-grained shagreen that continues to be used in leather goods and furniture.
Clément Rousseau armoire, early 20th century in coarse-grained shagreen.
