STRAW MARQUETRY CASE BEGINNING XIX EME DECORATION CHARACTERS GROTESQUE H2456 This straw marquetry case has remained very fresh.It opens and reveals a bird and two hearts. A grotesque character at the back and a harlequin character on the other side.The straw work is sumptuous.Some minimal friction and wear but the whole has remained fresh.The article is late 18th century.The straw marquetry is an art very similar to that of wood marquetry, in which straw replaces wood veneer. It is a technique from the Far East that was imported to Europe (England, France) in the seventeenth century. To achieve a pallet similar to that of wood veneer, wheat or oat straw is split open and then soaked in cold, hot or lukewarm water. The bands, when ironed more or less intensively, show a variety of tones ranging from light gold to the darkest dark brown. According to some accounting writings, nuns in France and Switzerland made various articles using straw marquetry. The most famous straw marquetry in England is that which was practiced by prisoners of the Napoleonic wars. Dartmoor Prison and other prisons were built especially for them. The most famous for straw marquetry was that of Norman Cross (Huntingdon) Easter eggs were decorated with a straw appliqué, especially in Eastern European countries. The most common themes are geometric shapes, stars and floral designs. There is however a slight difference in the way the straw is prepared: for marquetry the straws are soaked, split and ironed, while for decoration the straw is not ironed. Sold as presented. condition thank you for detailing the photos.The photos are an integral part of the description.Dimensions: Height: 13.2 cmWidth: 2.1 cmLength: 4.2 cmP: 677774 I remain at your disposal for any questions.