Collectable silver mounted walking sticks and canes
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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Canes
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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Australian Infantry riding crop with silver head of timber shaft, leather and rush whip/crop and sterling silver head/handle with infantry emblem 'Australian Infantry Reg Fidelis Et Paratus, length 50 cm
Scottish timber walking stick with Australian silver collar, engraved 'Colonial Bank, Warnambool'. Monogrammed THW. Former property of the bank manager
Hallmarked sterling silver topped walking stick with a Victorian heavily decorated handle with gadrooned scrolls and floral work. Hallmarked London, c 1902 by unknown, length 83 cm
A collection of bent wood walking sticks and walking canes, including a silver mounted horn handled walking cane, comprising fifteen pieces, the longest 92 cm
George V sterling silver and horn walking stick, set with a curved horn handle and silver mount, hallmarked Chester, 1921, with tapering support, length 80.5 cm
Two gentleman's walking sticks, one with monogram to handle on silver plaque, 'Queensland gutta Percha' engraved to neck, on silver plaque. Length 93 cm, 91 cm.
A Victorian horn and silver walking cane, 1888 Birmingham, with maker's mark WM, the tapering malacca cane shaft with a scrolled silver ferrule surmounted by a cream brown mottled bone handle well carved with a pair of mice; hallmarked. Length 85 cm
Silver walking stick handle, unmarked, of tapering cylindrical form, decorated with flower and acanthus pattern with medallion to top, total weight 37gm, length 10 cm
An ivory and silver topped bamboo walking cane. The slightly tapering cane, with sterling silver collar rubbed hallmarks, brass capped to the base. Length 91 cm
George V silver collar bone handle walking cane sterling silver collar hallmarked for Birmingham 1916, with horn handle to wooden walking cane, length 90 cm.
English hallmarked sterling silver topped hard wood walking cane London, 1919, maker Wf. Condition good to fair, wear to the handle, loss to the base. Length 91 cm
An Edwardian silver topped walking stick, the ebonised shaft with a plain rounded finial, Feldman Brothers, London 1916. Length 86 cm.