Thanks a lot for your input, Gentlemen.
Jim, i am much obliged for you having focused my (and others) eyes into the (micro) composition of genuine shagreen on the grip cover of this sword.
It is indeed amazing that one thinks that the (re)source of 'prepared' shagreen appeared after actual ray (+shark) skin, whereas this method appeared afterwards.
On the other hand, while ray skin was used mainly for anti slippery purposes, original shagreen was also used for embelishment purposes, such as box and other object outer shells and also, and not less popular, for book bidings. I have read in the web a PDF article where shagreen binding was seen in 1734 in a Portuguese miniature almanach.
I have also gone into the ethimo/semantic area, learning that shagreen apparently comes from the Turc 'çagri' and refers to the horse croup, from where raw hide was originaly used for the preparation of the discussed material.
The translated term in portuguese is 'chagrem', althoug the galicism 'chagrin' is much more widely used.
Giving wings to imagination, would one find any connection between ray skin having been widely used in Japanese sword grips and the silver details of this sword reminding menuki decorations, as suggested by Mark? I will give a thought to that.
Thinking about replicating the missing silver nails, its shape diversity is so exquisite, that i hesitate before going into such adventure. I will have to see how the smith himself reacts.
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