Antique French Straw Work Souvenir Box

8" x 4.5" x 3.25 tall

This box dates to the Napoleonic wars between the French and English. Prisoners-of-war were held in purpose-built prisoner-of-war depots or moored ships and typically were soldiers and sailors of the rank and file. Straw was a popular craft material for prisoners of war. They turned their skill to the making of cases and boxes covered with intricate straw patterns created using the contrasts between the light and dark sides of the straw strips. Those who understood dyes were also able to add color to their work and produced some very sophisticated objects. Few of these straw items have survived to the present day, due to the delicate materials being lost over time.