or Chagreen, in commerce, a kind of grained leather prepared of the skin of a species of Squalus, much used in covering cases, books, &c.

Manner of preparing Shagreen. The skin, being flayed off, is stretched out, covered over with mustard-seed, and the seed bruised on it; and thus it is exposed to the weather for some days, and then tanned.

The belt is that brought from Constantinople, of a brownish colour; the white is the worst. It is extremely hard; yet, when steeped in water, it becomes very soft and pliable; whence it is of great use among calf makers. It takes any colour that is given it, red, green, yellow, or black. It is frequently counterfeited by morocco, formed like shagreen; but this last is distinguished by its peeling off, which the first does not.