~ Napoleonic, French Prisoner Of War Domino Box With Dominoes ~
Here we have what is a domino box and set made by a French prisoner of the Napoleonic War. Many examples of these were made by captive soldiers to pass the time, to use and also sell to subsidize their food rations.
The item we have here is carved out of domestic cow bone and affixed to a wooden box.
The box has been lined with a very thin hammered metal sheet and then paper.
The lock, hinge and handle are all original and brass.
The hinges are marked with the stamp ‘G&W Patent No. 3’.
The dominoes are also bone carved, there are 32 of them in total.
~ Dimensions ~
The box is 8 ½ Inches (22 cm) long.
The box is 4 ½ inches (11 cm) deep.
The box stands 3 ½ inches (9 cm) tall.
The box weighs 685 grams empty and 770 grams with the dominos.
~ Condition ~
The box has some damage and wear.
Damage wise the front lock plate has snapped, several of the pieces of bone attachments are damaged at the edges.
Some of the paper has frayed and come off on the inside of the box.
Some of the dominoes have chipped but are generally in good condition.
The metal has some oxidisation and surface damage but the mark can be read clearly and the fittings still move.
