Shagreen Pocket Case for Surgical Instruments
A Pocket Case for Surgical Instruments covered by green-stained shagreen, English, ca. 1800, with silver metal mounts, hinged cover engraved letter 'C', with slots for forceps, lancets, probes and others minor surgical instruments. A part of shagreen on the the lid is detached. The inside of the lid is lined with a paper-like material or calico dyed red.
Content
The original content of the case is not presented. Now it is filled with several later instruments: a lancet with handle made of brown horn, a spoon-probe and blunt needle with an eye.
Shagreen
Two hundred years ago, surgical sets were often stored in cases covered with shagreen—a grainy leather made from the hides of horses and donkeys. Shagreen’s characteristic bumpy texture was created artificially by pressing seeds into the softened leather from the inside and then sanding down the raised areas. The material was typically dyed dark green or black, giving the instrument cases a solemn, almost ceremonial appearance. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, shagreen was practical: its textured surface did not slip in the hands, it was highly resistant to wear, and it concealed the minor scratches that inevitably appeared during the transport of metal and sharp surgical instruments. Such cases served simultaneously as a box and a showcase of the surgeon’s skill—their owners often displayed them to patients as a testament to their professional status.
