From around 1550 to 1930, canes were a dressing accessory without which a lady or gentleman, properly dressed, would never leave the house. However their use went out of fashion after this, leaving the market to collectors.
For a collector, the main interest lies in the handle, which could be made of wood, bamboo, ebony, ivory, tusk, animal horn, or bone. Sometimes they were made out of porcelain, Bakelite, gold, silver, or glass; enameled or cloisonnéd; or sprinkled with precious gemstones. The height of good taste was a gold handle with minmal decoration, as silver handles were despised by
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the wealthier classes. However silver handled canes have survived in large numbers, and exhibit a wide variety of decorative treatment, from the comparatively plain, armorial or regimental style to the more flamboyant excesses of Art Nouveau.
Carved handles can be found depicting grotesque animal or human forms, and are highly prized nowadays. Also keenly sought are multi-purpose canes, with a concealed spirit flask, tobacco pipe or even a tiny fire-arm for personal safety.
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A walking stick was an integral part of every well dressed man's wardrobe in the nineteenth century, and his collection of walking-sticks were probably kept just inside the hall in a stand, sharing space with umbrellas.
Walking-sticks and canes derive from the cudgels and staves carried for defence, evolving into dress accessories topped with silver or ivory, with a ferrule at the point to cut down wear. Many had elaborately carved heads. Sometimes these unscrewed to reveal space for a snuff box or other article. About 200 ancillary accessories are known to have been incorporated into walking
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sticks, the best known being the sword. Sword sticks date back to the sixteenth century, and often the sword just slides out with the stick acting as a sheath. Other sword and knife designs had a spring mechanism and would release on the press of a button or lever.
Other sticks pull apart, revealing a dagger with a handle for the left hand, and a stick with a blade for the right hand. Two steel blades sliding into the shaft from each end probably represent duelling weapons. The poacher's gun was a simple weapon in the shape of a walking stick; more sophisticated was a six-barrelled revolver, exposed by pressure on a trigger-spring that expelled part of the cane, and which had a dagger in the centre of the barrels.
Most extravagant was the machine-gun in a rectangular cane. "The kit", as it was 'known, was a pocket violin; this was developed into a violin fitted into a cane with a two-inch (5cm) diameter. Other canes contained music-boxes, harmonicas, flutes, piccolos, pipes (including opium pipes), vesta boxes, cigarette holders, candles, battery torches (dating from as early as 1882), contraceptives, poison, and a whole tribe of canes known as working companions (scalpels for doctors, small spades for botanists, safety lamps for miners). Among the most curious is the voyeur's cane with a mirror above the ferrule enabling the user to look up women's skirts.
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A copper mounted thornwood walking stick with a snuff compartment and spirit flask segment, together with another cane and walking stick, the largest 89 cm long
A collection of five silver handled walking canes, 19th century and later, one decorated with two dog heads and a buckle, one of an owl, one marked London, 1909 by J Howell & Co and one marked London 1885, the longest 92 cm
A collection of five silver and metal capped walking canes, first half 20th century, comprising two silver topped walking canes with scrolled decoration, London, 190, one London, 1929 by Henry Thomas & Co, and three other metal topped canes, the largest…
An old horn walking cane, cylindrical sections made to simulate bamboo, threaded on a steel rod, the handle of a stylised dog's head, metal ferrule. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection. Length 84 cm
A c.1900 Eastern silver and Malacca cane walking stick, possibly Chinese, the large silver knob handle embossed with rural village scene and figure, engraved 'Compliments of C & M October 1907', a belt with buckle mount below. Length 93 cm.
A French porcelain handled cane, the tapering ebonised wood shaft terminating in a French porcelain handle decorated with one of the muses (music), embellished in gilt on a pink ground. Length 94 cm. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection.
An English walking cane, by Jonathan Howell of Henry Howell & Co, circa 1921, the burrwood shaft terminating in silver collar and carved parrot form handle, retailed by J.L.Caldwell Philadelphia
A c1900 horn handled walking stick, the Malacca cane tapered shaft with engraved silver plate ferrule and tapered curved fibrous horn handle. Length 85.5 cm.
Marine ivory carved rosewood walking cane depicting a clenched fist holding a viper with a rope twist cuff. Condition good, age related wear. Length 92 cm
Cane c.1890 Ashford, Maker to the Queen walking stick cum horse measuring rule with metal handle engraved 'E.J. Barton', the handle extends to reveal a ruler for measuring the height of horses, with scales in hands, inches & metric; also two riding crops.…
An impressive walking cane with gold cap engraved 'J.S.N. of Lethane', with carved snake chasing a frog, housed in original fitted case, 19th century, 92 cm high
An early 20th century silver and ivory English walking cane with dog head hand set with glass eyes, silver collar with marks rubbed, length 86 cm, missing bottom tip
Two French bamboo shooting sticks, early 20th century, with brass hardware, one with cane seat (2), height 88 cm, 92 cm. Provenance: The Estate of Martyn Cook, Sydney
A collection of sterling silver pommel handled walking canes with various inscriptions, including one by John Henry Rawlings, London, 1889, comprising eight pieces, the longest cane 93 cm long
Walking Stick Cum Horse Measuring Rule, cane walking stick with metal handle engraved 'E.J.Barton', the handle pulls out to reveal a ruler for measuring the height of horses, with scales in hands, inches & metric, made by 'Ashford, Maker to the Queen'.…
A late 19th century ivory and silver gilt walking cane the shaft of slim proportions and featuring a small finely decorated hallmarked silver top, length 94 cm
A 19th century whalebone walking cane, plain tapered form, inlaid at the handle with diamonds of black lip mother-of-pearl shell. Length 76.5 cm. Provenance: The H.N.E Sheppard Estate Collection.
A sterling silver mounted walking cane with a telescopic handle, 1907 London, with maker's mark for J. Howell & Co, cane and stick, manufacturers, old Street London Ec, of classic 'T' shape, the handle with engraved silver mounts, leather, covering and an…
An ivory handled Malacca cane walking stick, the cane shaft terminating in a turned ivory handle with a carved garter collar, the shaft with large ivory ferrule. Length 87 cm. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection.
An impressive 18ct. yellow gold mounted, ivory handled walking cane, the plain tapered ebony hardwood shaft with wide a scroll embossed 18ct. gilded yellow gold mount, the shield cartouche with presentation engraving 'From J. Shaw To W.B. Paton, Dunedin,…
A Victorian all ivory walking stick, assembled in ten screw pieces, with cane carved shaft, the ivory handle carved as elephant head and lion head. Length 89 cm.
An antique whalebone walking stick with a serpent head handle, 19th century, the cane comprising a series of gently swollen sections replicating cane, the serpent head with carved features and a single tooth, 74 cm long
A short whalebone cane, the shaft with metal ferrule, the marine ivory handle in the form of a dog's head, glass eyes and engraved silver collar. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection. Length 66 cm
A lady's silver topped whalebone walking cane, the fine tapering whalebone shaft terminating in a small silver plate collar, decoratively carved ivorine section and an engraved silver handle. Length 85 cm. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection.
Ivory, whale bone & tortoiseshell walking stick having an ivory twist handle, with a whalebone cane with tortoiseshell inlay throughout. Condition, good to fair, some loose inlay, length, 84 cm
Walking stick sword an Edwardian gentlemen's rattan cane walking stick with silver fittings. Maker Henry Tracy & Sons London assayed 1921. Having engraving (Leb 1927). Blade showing stamps France 5.
A late Victorian silver, ivory and malacca cane walking stick, the approximate T-form ivory handle with decorative embossed silver cap ends and fitting to the tapered malacca shaft, engraved 'W.S.' reputedly a presentation upon the achievement of becoming…
A 19th century ivory cane, with a faceted foliate engraved binchbeck mount to the top, above two holes for a cord strap, metal mount to the tip, (natural age hairlines to the ivory, wear and dents to the pinchbeck mount), 94 cm wide