Shagreen sheath with silver fittings, 18th century

Museum case fitted all around with shagreen/ray skin, finished with silver fittings featuring a family crest.

Shagreen was a precious material that became popular in Europe in the 17th century. It was usually brown or white in nature. In France, dyeing shagreen green became popular from 1730 onward.

Mr. Galuchat was a renowned leatherworker and supplier to various courts. He is considered the "inventor" of green shagreen. In France, "Galuchat" is still synonymous with green shagreen. This trend spread throughout Europe. Not only small objects such as cases and boxes, but also scientific instruments like binoculars, and cases themselves were decorated with shagreen. 

This case is in excellent condition and comes from the Starreveld collection in Amsterdam.

The hide is stretched around a wooden sheath. Inside, there's space for cutlery. The interior is lined with red velvet.

At the top, a family crest is engraved on a silver plate.

The key is missing.

Dating ca. 1770-1790.

Weight: 336 grams. Dimensions: 17 x 8.5 x 8.5 cm.