This carving, made from animal bones, is unusual.
It dates from the Napoleonic era and would have been made by a French prisoner of war based at a camp near Peterborough at the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815.
The design features Spinning Jennies and the figures move. It is incredibly well-carved. Objects like these would have made the prisoners of war some money, as they would have sold them to British military officers. This example, however, was given to the surgeon of the camp in thanks for looking after the health of the prisoners.
Collectors would love to get their hands on this example as it is, unusually, in perfect condition, dust and damage-free. As a result it is worth around £1,500.
Did you know? The British victory at Waterloo in 1815 left Britain the dominant power in Europe with the Royal Navy being the strongest fleet in the world.
Did you know? A prisoner of war camp near Peterborough Cambridgeshire was unearthed in 2009, which was thought to house 7,000 French soldiers captured during the Napoleonic War.
Credit:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
