The History of Tortoiseshell
—Chrissie

Listen here: https://www.spreaker.com/user/ufpearth/hwts021

Suggestion credit to UFP’s own Ria Papageorgiou

            The tortoiseshell pattern, often seen on glasses frames and jewelry, originates with the use of actual turtle and tortoise shells for decoration. The design primarily reflects the patterns on the Hawksbill sea turtle, but many different types of turtle’s shells have been used throughout history.

            The first use we know of tortoiseshells in Europe is Greek: the shells of turtles were cleaned and shaped to become the bodies of stringed instruments. The Egyptians and Romans used the material for embellishments on furniture and other décor. It has also been commonly used for jewelry throughout human history.

            To obtain the material required that a turtle shell be boiled in salt water until it was soft enough to flatten with a press. It was then cut into the desired shape and polished. Multiple pieces could be fused with the use of a hot iron. Its long-term durability made it worthwhile to use, despite the price it commanded.

            The French artisan, Andre Charles Boulle, reinforced the association of tortoiseshell and wealth with his work for French King Louis XIV. He produced a set of cabinets for the king which was richly decorated with tortoiseshell designs. He did this with a method known as marquetry, in which thin layers of tortoiseshell (or other materials) were put on metal or wood backing, which allowed for it to be more easily integrated into patterns and designs with other materials in a veneer.

            Tortoiseshell was used in glasses frames from thirteenth century, when glasses came into use for the larger community, but remained expensive. Most glasses frames were made from wood and/or wire. By the end of the 19th century, substitutes were in greater use than the real thing—not because of concern over the turtles, but because it was cheaper to produce and so could be sold more widely. Horn and bone could be dyed to imitate the pattern and it was often seen in early plastics manufacturing. By the time the most commonly used turtles were put on the endangered species list in the 1970s, actual turtle shells were very little used.

In the modern day, the design created by plastics, acrylics, or resin is nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Its relatively easy production and low price means that this pattern, which has been prized for centuries, is now readily available for use in glasses, jewelry, furniture, or anywhere else one might want to use it.