A Victorian naive antique folk art squirrel cage
Code: 10353
Dimensions:
A charming late 19th century folk art squirrel cage with large running wheel.
These 'squirrel cages' were very popular from the 18th right through to the 20th century. Quite often elaborate in design, sometimes made to resemble churches and other ornate buildings. Squirrels were often kept as pets in both Europe and America. Famously Benjamin Franklin was known to have kept pet squirrels, and even wrote an epitaph for one of them that died.
This example is naive in it's construction, although the maker decided to embellish the front with extensive geometric marquetry.
With two individual nesting compartments, each with its own simple hinged access door.
Attention to detail can even be seen in the shaping of some of the thin wire bars, which illustrates how much work went into the cage.
Dimensions:-
Height - 58.3cm
Width - 48.2cm
Depth - 42.5cm
With age related wear and tear, with some small losses to the marquetry inlay in places.
Signs of some historic repairs.
The wheel spins, and all three cleaning trays can be removed fully. Some wire bars lacking on the wheel.
Overall a wonderful piece of folk art.
