Rare Museum quality Napoleonic straw work writing, compendium, early 19th century, in the form of a bureau, with a hinged curved top opening to compartments, above a lower roll top and slide, set with fitted drawers above a series of lower drawers behind a fall front, the body highly decorated with geometric motifs, set with central centurion figure and carved ivory handles, 41 cm x 35.5 cm x 26 cm catalogue note: this appears to be a commercially made box. Many of these boxes are Napoleonic 'Prisoners of War' boxes, as these prisoners created such straw work enabling them to trade or barter for other necessities. Published: antique boxes: inside and out, colour plate 652