03-04-201203-04-2012
Skinner Auctions
Skinner AuctionsBoston MA
2585BBoston
March 4, 2012 11:00 AMCalender
413

Napoleonic Prisoner-of-War Bone and Straw-work Spinning Jenny

Sell one like this
$16,590$14,000
Auction: American Furniture & Decorative Arts - 2585BLocation: BostonDate / Time: March 04, 2012 11:00AM

Description:

Napoleonic Prisoner-of-War Bone and Straw-work Spinning Jenny, Britain, late 18th/early 19th century, the mechanized model with eight figures and two dogs, with polychrome painted details, the upper and lower wood platforms with applied geometric straw-work designs, (imperfections),ht. 7 3/8, wd. 5 3/4, dp. 3 in.

Provenance: From the collection of Wright Ludington, founder of the Santa Barbara Museum.

Note: This prisoner-of-war artifact was made in the late 18th/early 19th century by a French prisoner incarcerated by the British under dismal conditions, using primitive tools.
Estimate $8,000-12,000

One figure missing, one column loose at bottom, cobbler missing tool, two figures on lower tier missing the articles they were once holding, the figure in the gray jacket and top hat -his arms look like they have been replaced, the jenny is not in full working condition, some of the operating threads are broken, one of the wheel mechanisms has lost it's joining peg, one figure on the back missing an arm, one with loose head, but retained. Hard to tell if the crank has been replaced, it is bone and has pegged joinery, most of the painted details on the faces has worn off.

Keywords

Spinning Jenny, Britain, Santa Barbara Museum, Wright Ludington, primitive tools, loose head , but retained, cobbler missing tool