From Wiki regarding Shagreen leather:
In the 17th and early 18th centuries, however, the term "shagreen" began to be applied to leather made from sharkskin or the skin of a rayfish (probably the pearled ray, Hypolophus sephen). This form is also termed sharkskin or galuchat. Such skins are naturally covered with round, closely set, calcified papillae called placoid scales, whose size is chiefly dependent on the age and size of the animal. These scales are ground down to give a roughened surface of rounded pale protrusions, between which the dye (again, typically green vegetable dye) shows when the material is coloured from the other side. This latter form of shagreen was first popularised in Europe by Jean-Claude Galluchat (d. 1774), a master leatherworker in the court of Louis XV of France. It quickly became a fashion amongst the French aristocracy, and appears to have migrated throughout Europe by the mid-18th century.
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My StingRay boots.
http://www.westernbootsales.com/proddetail.asp?prod=S5849-J-R The leather is very tough and also water resistant. Therefore it is very protective of its contents, which in this case I would prefer. I got mine with the J toe. The fit is the best I have ever gotten from a new boot. I am very pleased. Sedona West makes them and
www.westernbootsales.com sold them to me for a very reasonable price. IMHO, they are the shiznizzle to look at and shine in the sun like nothing I have ever worn on my feet. They are also amazingly easy to care for, just wipe with a damp rag.
