Shagreen

Shagreen is the stingray skin. Given its rarity and unique texture, it has been applied to give a luxurious finish to intricate high-end decorative items. First used to make sword hilts and armour by the Japanese Samurai and the Turks in the Middle Ages, shagreen got its big break in the mid-18th century when it was popularised by Madame De Pompadour, a renowned patron of the arts and mistress to King Louis XIV. It later became fashionable as a material for furniture during the Art Deco period and remains at the pinnacle of luxury to this day.