Featured POW Marquetry Smoking Desk Set 1940/45

Bought this over a year ago from an auction cheaply. Thought it was really odd and interesting.

It is a smoking desk/table set made up of an ashtray, a box for cigarettes and a match holder/ striker, there is also a section for placing the top of the cigarette holder. The whole piece is made of amateur Marquetry which shows in the damage, the sides have split since I’ve owned it, likely because of the glue and size of pieces.

The base reads :
“Worked on river Sence Weir, at Coalfield Farm”
“Camped at Garenden, Nr Loughborough”
“Made by German Prisoners of War 1940/45”
“Heather (Nov. 1947)”

I assume heather is the person who wrote this two years after the war.

Any info appreciated.

 

Neat! Btw - I think the end of the first line is Coalfield Farm.

 

Oops, I wrote then relooked at it because of the way ‘Heather’ writes her C’s

All changed now, thanks for pointing it out

 

Seems like all the info...is already there....

 

I was just throwing it out there in case anyone with better military knowledge or research available to them would know about the area mentioned.

I’ll be selling this soon so I’d love for anyone who knows to share what they think it’s worth

 

It was an opencast coal mine, later.. http://www.landshapes.org/index.php...m=catexp&reftype=4&browseby=reftype&page_no=3

Here's your POW camp: http://www.ewyaslacy.org.uk/docs/rs_gdv_0150.pdf

 

Brilliant, a record of the camp at Garenden, Loughborough. Thank you

 

Well, I guess there was indeed more info to be had !!

 

Haha, you made a fair point though haha. I just couldn’t find any records on my own

 

What are the dimensions?

Yes I collect stuff, pls let me know when u put it up 4 sale, I’ll reserve a corner for it.

 

@springfld.arsenal you still interested? I don’t have a place for this at all. the wood had come away from the item a little bit if I got your email I can send extensive photos of the desk set so your sure your happy about it I think it’s repairable with glue anyway. I didn’t do the damage by the way haha.