George II shagreen knife box, c.1740, with shagreen covering set with loop handle to top and brass lock, opening to fitted velvet interior, 13.39 in. x 8.27 in. x 5.51 in.
- George Ii - George II (1683 - 1760) was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1727 until his death in 1760.
- Shagreen - Shagreen is the untanned smoothly pebbled textured skins of rays, sharks or dogfish. In finishing, it is dyed, mostly green, but the colour often fades to a cream colour. Shagreen was a popular material in Europe during the Art Deco era, when designers sought to mould the French tradition of luxury with exotic and precious materials. Most collectable items made from shagreen are smaller objects, like glasses cases, dagger and sword hilts, dressing accessories, boxes and picture frames.
This item has been included into following indexes: