Large Shagreen Picture Frame

A magnificent shagreen picture frame of unusually large scale, circa 1930. The wooden back and foot allows the frame to stand in either portrait or landscape format.

Dimensions:
Frame: 40.5 cm/15⅞ inches (length) x 30.25 cm/12¾ inches (width) x 1.5 cm/⅝ inch (thick).
Glazed area: 33.5 cm/13¼ inches (height) x 23.5 cm/9¼ inches (width).

Shagreen is the name given to shark, stingray or dog fish skin that has been used as a decorative material for centuries. However, its earliest use was far more practical. In its raw state, shagreen has a hard rough textured finish. As far back as the 12th century, the Japanese used it for grating wasabi root into a paste!

Once the surface of the shagreen has been ground smooth, a very attractive material is created. In Europe, as early as the 17th century, it was being used in the production of decorative items, and furniture.