#80 • Turkish Prisoner Beadwork Snake: Turkish Prisoners 1916

Part of TRENCH ART & WWI Memorabilia (live auction by Bannerman Auctions)

High bid $525.00

Status: Sold

Category: Turkey

Turkish Prisoner Beadwork Snake: Turkish Prisoners 1916. 314cm (10 feet 3.5 inches) long; has amber and black glass beads on the top, white beads on the belly with " TURKISH PRISONERS 1916" in black, over crocheted tan body which is stuffed and weighted.  Mouth is open as is the norm for these.  Has one spot that may be an old repair just forward of the inscription, very nice condition overall.   These serpents are the most well-known of Ottoman prisoner art; along with necklaces, purses, bags, and other items they were made by captured Turkish soldiers interned in Egypt, Cyprus, Salonica, India, and Britain, utilizing glass beads provided by their British captors.  These folk art crafts were sold or traded to the guards, soldiers encamped nearby, or civilian shop owners in nearby cities, most notably Cairo, which is specifically recognized for it's trade in Turkish POW crafts at the local curiosity shops in a 1917 report by the International Committee of the Red Cross.  Excellent example from "Trench Art" author Jane Kimball's collection. Estimate: $400 - $600