Shagreen Shagreen Shagreen is a type of rawhide consisting of rough untanned skin, historically from a horse's or onager's back, or from shark or ray. In modern times, shagreen is produced from the skins of commercially-farmed Asian sting rays. The word derives from the French "chagrin" and is related to Italian "zigrino" and Venetian "sagrin", derived from the Turkic "sağrı" / "çağrı" 'rump of a horse' or the prepared skin of this part. The roughness of its texture led to the French meaning of anxiety, vexation, embarrassment, or annoyance. Shagreen has an unusually rough and granular surface, and is sometimes used
Alfred Ehrenreich placoid scales, or dermal denticles; leather made with these scales still attached is referred to as Shagreen. However, Ehrenreich had to find a way to remove these scales from the hides in order for his product to reach a wider market. Initially he tried a process patented by a Danish chemist called Kristian Bendixon. Later the company switched to a system that involved the hides being treated by acid. Two chemists came up with similar ideas, Theodore H. Kohler and Dr Allen Rogers. Once treated in this way the skin could be split into layers, to both increase the yield