Fortunately I did not presume that Exlibrans would not be interested in the item of my query and suggest that replies not be sent to the list. Mr. Seeley's is precisely our kind of informative answer - specific and general - giving information and pleasure, all done with precision and courtesy. For my own purposes, I can (happily) follow up on Mr. Seeley's suggestions; and the information will be in the archive, and again retrievable. (I permit myself to point out the value of precision in posing a question: the date when Mrs. Piozzi received the book - 1811- correspond to the period suggested by Nigel Seeley, as also that Lady Kirkwall made it herself).
Gabriel Austin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nigel Seeley" <nigel@seeley.demon.co.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2003 8:17 AM
> This does indeed sound like traditional 'straw work', which is a technique usually used to decorate the surfaces of small boxes and similar items. Dating back to at least the 17th century, it achieved a peak in popularity in England during the first two decades of the 19th century, many examples supposedly having been made by French prisoners of war during the
Napoleonic Wars. Nigel Seeley.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> In a copy of THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER London 1806. Mrs. Piozzi acknowledges receipt (1811): "Given by Dear Lady Kirkwall & made by her own Hand". The made by her own hand most likely refers to the attractive
binding, an inlay (marquetry) using what does appear to be pieces of straw. Is there a reference to, or a study of this kind of ?straw- work?
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