Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Oxnard Prisoner of War Bone Model Ships

Prisoner of War Bone Model Ships

French prisoners carved these boats from the bones of their meat rations.

Oxnard, California

Added By
Matthew Taub
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
These tiny models can include dozens of cannons on a single side.   Samir S. Patel (Atlas Obscura User)
A detailed figurehead, possibly the ship’s captain, keeps watch.   Samir S. Patel (Atlas Obscura User)
The models are no less imposing for their diminutive stature and modest materials.   Samir S. Patel (Atlas Obscura User)
The collection on proud display.   Samir S. Patel (Atlas Obscura User)
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Seized from their posts, French prisoners of war in the 18th and 19th centuries were left to build themselves new ships. But these were tiny model vessels, carved in exquisite detail from bone.

Receiving daily rations of half a pound of meat from their British captors, the Frenchmen would whittle the leftover bones into recreations of the ships they had manned themselves during the Napoleonic Wars. These models pack stunning complexity into, typically, just 30 to 40 inches (and sometimes less).

The hulls seem almost to breathe, gracefully curving outward as they approach the decks. Dozens of cannons poke neatly out of a single side, not wedged into their individual ports but held in place by an invisible mechanism. Bowsprits project forward at a noble angle, tapered masts stand straight and tall, and full-bodied figureheads even sit on rigging made from human hair, their minuscule fingers curled around swords and their button faces chiseled into distinct features.

All this, of course, was done from memory. While many of the models are painted, some of them remain bone white, the only indication of their humble origin.

Because prisoners of war had not technically defied British law, and their sentences were contingent on the course of the conflict, they were often treated with more lenience and respect than criminal offenders. Some of them converted their sentences into business opportunities, selling their ship models to the general public and leaving prison with substantial fortunes. Today, one of these ships can fetch tens of thousands of dollars at auction—so take out last night's leftovers and get to work.

If you can’t figure out how to build your own miniature boat from bone, you can head to the Channel Islands Maritime Museum in Oxnard, California. The museum has nine of the ships on display, forming the second largest collection in the United States.

Related Tags

Ships Prisons Napoleon Bonaparte France Britain War History Art Auctions Meat Bones Hair Military

Community Contributors

Added By

matthewtaub

Published

July 23, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.cimmvc.org/models/
  • http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/15617/lot/364/
Prisoner of War Bone Model Ships
3900 Bluefin Circle
Oxnard, California
United States
34.165082, -119.226333
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

La Jenelle Park

Oxnard, California

miles away

Pleasant Valley Historic Cemetery and Japanese historic Cemetery

Oxnard, California

miles away

Point Mugu Missile Park

Port Hueneme, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oxnard

Oxnard

California

Places 3

Nearby Places

La Jenelle Park

Oxnard, California

miles away

Pleasant Valley Historic Cemetery and Japanese historic Cemetery

Oxnard, California

miles away

Point Mugu Missile Park

Port Hueneme, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oxnard

Oxnard

California

Places 3

Related Places

  • Castello della Valle

    Fiumefreddo Bruzio, Italy

    Castello della Valle

    The ruins of this medieval castle now stand as a monument against all wars.

  • The base in 2008

    Malborghetto Valbruna, Italy

    Fort Hensel

    The hilltop ruins of a border fortification in the Italian Alps that was much fought over.

  • Napoleon Stone

    Plymouth, England

    Napoleon Commemorative Stone

    These stones mark 200 years of friendship between Britain and France following the Napoleonic Wars.

  • Damme, Belgium

    Damme Canal

    Also known as Napoleon's Canal, this waterway was created on the orders of the general, and construction was interrupted by Waterloo.

  • The outer blast doors of the Cruciform station

    Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

    The Imperial Japanese Navy Fengshan Wireless Communications Station

    This former military installation was turned into a discipline center by the Taiwanese Navy.

  • Prison Ship Martyrs’ Monument.

    Brooklyn, New York

    Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument

    This beautiful Brooklyn monument over a crypt memorializes a grim and largely unknown story from the American Revolution.

  • The foot.

    Edinburgh, Scotland

    'The Manuscript of Monte Cassino'

    This sculpture of disembodied body parts forms a poignant memory of the horrors of World War II.

  • Memorial cross near the soldiers’ graves.

    Kristiansand, Norway

    Executed Russian POWs' Memorial Graves

    Five soviet prisoners of war were executed at this spot just days before the liberation of Norway.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.