Galuchat

/ɡæˈluːʃæ/ noun

Definition

Sharkskin or stingray skin, especially as prepared and used as an ornamental veneer or covering in decorative arts and furniture.

Etymology

From French galuchat, named after Jean-Claude Galuchat, an 18th-century French artisan who specialized in working with shagreen (fish skin). The technique became a hallmark of luxury goods.

Kelly Says

Galuchat was wildly fashionable in 18th-century France, creating such demand for stingray skin that it became a status symbol—owning galuchat furniture meant you were seriously wealthy!

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