Located in Pulborough, GB
Antiques of London
What makes this piece truly special is its unique backstory. According to the attached note, this tray was handmade by a prisoner on Devil’s Island, a notorious penal colony off the coast of French Guiana. It was brought back in the 1940s by a seafaring relative, the note on the back says:
“This tray was made by a prisoner on Devil’s Island, brought home by Nevine Needham’s cousin sometime in the 1940s. At that time, he was a Second Officer in the Merchant Navy, and when ships were calling at Argentina, they had to dock at Devil’s Island because the water was too shallow on the mainland at that point.”
Butterfly wing crafts like this were often sold or bartered by prisoners and local artisans to passing sailors. This exceptional piece is not only a beautiful vintage butterfly wing tray...
Category
20th Century Guianese Walnut Decorative Objects