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NAPOLEONIC PRISONER OF WAR BONE BOXES
The resilience and ultimate creativity of prisoners of war is nowhere better exemplified than in the amazing bone boxes made by French sailors captured by the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars (1792-1815). Between 1802 and 1814, thousands of French prisoners of war were held in England; some were captive for more than ten years, providing ample time to develop their skills in the production of prisoner of war artifacts.
Prisoners were encouraged to make boxes and other objects in order to occupy their time in a productive manner and were allowed to sell these items to British townspeople at Friday prison markets. The money earned was often used to purchase personal articles, as well as small pieces of metal, nails, and wire that could be used by a talented craftsman to carve intricate designs on the bone pieces. It is believed that most, if not all, of the bone used for the boxes came from beef and animal bones, and the dyes for coloring were probably vegetable derived.
Prisoners made several styles of Napoleonic P.O.W. bone boxes. Most had a peak shaped sliding lid and contained 14 watercolors on paper protected under glass; six on the lid, six on each side and two at the ends. Smaller versions reduced the number of watercolors to four on the lid, two on each side, and two on the ends. Cribbage side rails and delicately carved finials and feet were often added, and, in some instances, the smaller boxes were incised with highly detailed open work of rosettes, circles, scrolls, suit marks, and ornaments. Occasionally the peak-shaped lids covered an interior flat sliding cover decorated with polychrome scenes or figures. Other lids were dome shaped and hinged like casket covers, and simpler designs were created with flat sliding lids. The boxes usually contained sets of dominoes and miniature playing cards, also carved entirely from discarded bones, and, occasionally, hand-carved dice and cribbage pegs were also included.
The following Napoleonic P.O.W. Bone Boxes from the Stuart and Marilyn R. Kaplan Collection were selected as one of the "100 Top Treasures in America" by Art & Antiques Magazine.
Playing Card and Domino Bone Box, c. 1802-1815.
Details
Playing Card and Domino Bone Box, c. 1802-1815.
4 x 10 x 3.75 in. (102 x 260 x 98 mm). Rectangular bone box on wooden structure, dental edge cribbage side rails, carved finials, carved feet, and peaked-shaped sliding lid. The lid consists of 6 panels framed by bone, each of which contains a watercolor image on paper under original glass. The panels depict two men, two women, and two altars topped with hearts pierced by arrows. 8 additional panels along the sides and ends of the box also contain watercolors of two baskets of flowers, two harbor scenes, and four views of homes or castles. The interior holds hand-painted bone playing cards and bone dominoes.
4 x 10 x 3.75 in. (102 x 260 x 98 mm). Rectangular bone box on wooden structure, dental edge cribbage side rails, carved finials, carved feet, and peaked-shaped sliding lid. The lid consists of 6 panels framed by bone, each of which contains a watercolor image on paper under original glass. The panels depict two men, two women, and two altars topped with hearts pierced by arrows. 8 additional panels along the sides and ends of the box also contain watercolors of two baskets of flowers, two harbor scenes, and four views of homes or castles. The interior holds hand-painted bone playing cards and bone dominoes.