In the 30’s and 40’s baby sharkskin or shagreen as it is called was used on many pieces of furniture. When I was in an antique shop in Paris a few years ago, there was this wonderful shop that had many original Jean Michelle Frank chests. I inquired about one particular chest and it was 450,000 Euros!
I had kept the idea of this chest in my mind for years and created my own interpretation of that piece here in this Frank nightstand. These chests are solid oak and are dyed with aniine stain and hand rubbed out several times. The drawer fronts are actual stingray hides. The look and feel of these hides are much like the shagreen that Jean Michelle Frank used on his piece.