Shagreen
Rare and Elegant.
Created from polished stingray skins, shagreen is one of the most sophisticated and beautiful surfaces in the world. Shagreen was a decorative and durable surface for Japanese armour, used as an accent in 18th century British accessories and most famously, a luxurious surface for French Art Deco furniture. LAMONT selects, prepares and inlays the skins by hand in our workshop in Bangkok. in 2000 Jean Perfettini, author of the only books on Shagreen (Le Galuchat ISBN 2-85101-021-2) and master of restoration for the Musee des arts Decoratifs, Paris, trained our team in Bangkok. The tiny natural enamel beads on the skins create stunning decorative elements in our limited edition products and bespoke pieces.
Dasyatidae are a family of rays and cartilaginous fish related to sharks. They are common in coastal waters throughout the world and are an important foodstuff in SE Asia. Stingray skins are a by-product of the fishing industry and the species used by Lamont - Dasyatis Bleekeri and Dasyatis Stephan carry no CITES or other restrictions. Where dasyatidae are threatened it is caused by pollution. They are not threatened in SE Asian waters. For more information - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingray
Gilded shagreen is a refined process developed by our Research and Development team. The shagreen is covered with pure silver or gold leaf and then antiqued, giving an amazing metallic sheen to the skin. The surface oxidizes, creating nuances in tone over the years.
PRODUCTS
Rare and beautiful materials are sourced from Southeast Asia, Europe, India and China. We choose materials with understated elegance and rich crafts traditions.